The Snake And The Goat
The 2016 Presidential Election race has been perhaps one of the most exciting presidential races in the history of America. This race is interesting not simply because the two candidates involved are very colorful, controversial, and polarizing, but because the nation (America) is sooooooo divided. And to add to the drama that is the 2016 Presidential Race is the campaign of fear coming from certain fringe groups and the apparent unveiling of the true nature of the mainstream media. I'd say, the gloves are off at this point.
Is This The Final Election?
One of the things that made this election interesting for me is the fact that there have been many voices coming out of the religious community touting this presidential election as the final presidential election for America; some prophetic voices have even gone so far as to claim the election will not take place due to some violent upheaval in the land or some external threat to our nation's security, thereby leaving our current President (Obama) in office. Again, that remains to be seen. But there are others in the religious community who believe this election will take place and that it will undoubtedly determine the spiritual and moral fate of this nation. The question is, "Why do many religious leaders believe this? Why is the soul of America considered to be at stake during this election for so many?"
The Characters In This Election
Donald Trump
I will be totally honest with you: During the Republican primaries, I watched - almost in horror - as Donald Trump was being voted in as the Republican nominee. I was hoping either Dr. Carson, Ted Cruz, or Rubio would have walked away with the nomination. I was still wheeling behind Trump's statements during the primaries such as the one where he implemented Ted Cruz's father in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and then claimed to have the goods on Heidi, Ted Cruz's wife; and not to leave out Trump's verbal assault on Dr. Carson, likening him to a child molester during the Republican debates. I mean, this guy looked like a loose canon even then. And then, all of a sudden, he's the nominee ... Man, many people are really desperate for a change!
It's no secret that Trump is an immoral person, a chauvinist, a narcissist, and an egotistical jerk. And to be honest, if you were to tell this to Trump's face, he'd probably say, "Thanks for the compliment." I, for one, am appalled by Trump's lewd comments about women - thinking to myself I'd probably rip his orange hair off his head if he tried to touch my wife or daughter. Also, Trump, as demonstrated by his lackluster performance at his first presidential debate, appears to be too arrogant and stubborn to listen to his camp. He didn't even think it necessary to prepare for the debate and think about what he was going to say before he said it ... before the entire world. This is the fate of the nation Trump is playing with here, not the fate of Trump Towers. You can have all of the right people around you, but if you don't listen to them it won't do you any good. For this, when I look at Donald Trump, I think of a goat: hard-headed, stubborn, and difficult.
Hillary Clinton
To be totally honest with you, I can't say I'm one who's in favor of the Democratic Party due to its decision to exclude any references to God and Israel from its party platform in 2012. I thought to myself, A political party that wants to be anti-God and anti-Israel? That is too much for me. And I've voted Democrat every since I was old enough to vote. And then, the presidential race took off and the main two democratic candidates were Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Sanders wowed audiences with his socialistic rhetoric - offering all of the free stuff one could imagine. WikiLeaks leaked hidden emails from the DNC (Democratic National Convention) showing that the Democratic primaries had been rigged already to allow Hillary to win regardless of how many votes Sanders got. Okay. Moving on. Hillary is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI (not good when you're running for office). Just so happens that she's Mrs. Clinton, the wife of former President Bill Clinton, the man who secretly held a meeting with the head of the DOJ, Loretta Lynch, on a plane one day; and suddenly, the DOJ concludes that Hillary has done no wrong along with the FBI and then they drop the case. Hmmmm.
Hillary, during the first presidential debate against Trump, looked like a well-oiled, well-trained boxer taking on an out of weight, unskilled street fighter. Clinton was sticking and moving while Trump was throwing wildly and missing and tiring himself out. Clinton was saying a lot of awesome things; she was poised, in control, appearing confident; she truly "looked presidential"; also, regarding the experience factor, she runs circles around Donald Trump. The problem is this: Hillary intentions for America aren't so good (she's the consummate globalist who wants to carry on the globalist agenda to create a one-world government) and she has also told too many lies and betrayed the public's trust. I'd like to believe that she'll make good on some of her promises made, especially her yearbook answer to solving the issue of racial profiling and violence against minorities by police in America and her arming the Kurds in Iraq in their fight against ISIS. I'd like to. But Hillary is too sneaky, conniving, artificial, and insincere; and for this reason, when I see Hillary, I think of a snake.
Essentially, during this election, you're choosing between a goat and a snake. Take your pick.
The Media
Not that I like either candidate - quite frankly, I'd prefer to see Donald Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, be the republican nominee and see someone else who is more trustworthy run on the democratic ticket. But in either case, one thing that's obvious to me and every human being who has been following this election is the blatant bias of the mainstream media. For God's sake, they're behaving as if they're on the Clinton's payroll! They overemphasize Donald Trump's issues while deliberately covering up Clinton's issues. For example, regarding recent sexual scandals - Trump's lewd statements about women, namely - the media over-plays this while remaining silent about President Bill Clinton's rape allegations and blatant sexual misconduct while in office as President and Hillary's complicity in the crimes by covering up her husband's sexual misconduct and even attacking the victims of her husband's sexual prowess. To be honest, if Bill wasn't the President, he would have been arrested and branded as a sexual predator. But it helps when you have money and connections. Sadly, the mainstream media won't call it down the line. It has become popular to roast Donald Trump on late night talk shows while billing Hillary as the more level headed of the two, when in all actuality, Hillary insiders reveal that she's just as volatile behind the scenes and has to be "taught and trained" by her image consultants how to appear less robotic and more "genuine". Donald ended up on Jimmy Kimmel's Late Night Show one time and the media went crazy attacking Jimmy. That's called bullying. If this is supposed to be a fair and balanced media, then give both sides a chance. Bring them both on your late night shows and day time talk shows. Don't take sides. I'm always fickle when I see the media in the pocket of a particular candidate.
The Truth
The truth is this: I believe in the voting process. I only sat one presidential election out in my life, and that was because I didn't see anything to vote for. But in this election, there are some clear differences. But before we vote, here are a few things we need to do:
1. Stop being distracted by the character defects of the candidates and focus on the policies each candidate is proposing. All of the mud-slinging in the media is simply a distraction. Truth be told, if we had to disqualify a candidate on the basis of their sexuality, then forget Reagan and Bush, Sr., both of whom were implicated in a secretive homosexual ring; and forget Bill Clinton, forget John F. Kennedy (he and Marilyn Munroe had a thing going on), forget Buchanan (he was a transvestite) among others - and those are the Presidents whose sexual issues have been made public. If you're looking for the private stuff, then look up in Google "US Presidents that have attended the Bohemian Grove" and get a list of names. At the Grove, all of the attendees at the male-only exclusive resort participated in homosexual activity as revealed by President Nixon who went one year and then vowed not to "shake the hand of any man there" after calling that place the most "faggy" place on the earth.
2. Vote based on the principles of the Bible. Remember: God will either bless or judge a nation based on its adherence to His laws and principles. Read your Bible for more information. I would also recommend researching David Barton (www.WallBuilders.com) to get a better understanding of America's biblical roots - learning how the US Constitution was based on the Bible.
3. Understand the role of the Commander-in-Chief (President). No President can solve all of our personal problems nor the problems in our neighborhoods. Some things, we as individuals (citizens, churches, business owners and entrepreneurs, philanthropists, etc.) are tasked with solving. It's not the government's job to teach us morality and make us better individuals. If you're looking for a Savior, then look to Christ, not the President. If you want someone to ensure that the dictates of the US Constitution are enforced, then decide between Hillary and Trump.
What's At Stake Here: The Policies
One is a snake; the other is a goat. I'll be honest with you, in the Bible, God used very immoral men to accomplish His will (Cyrus, Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, Hazael, etc.). So, God can use a snake and a goat if He so desires. Don't count out either of these candidates and say God can't use them. But when it comes to their policies, they are as different as day and night. For me, the issues that are the most important (with regards to the Presidency) are: America's continued support of Israel (Joel chpt. 3), America's continued upholding of the US Constitution, America's avoidance of Socialism, America's economic future (the issue of taxes, keeping a competitive capitalistic market place where any and everyone with a good idea can strike success, scaling back destructive regulations on small businesses, holding Wall Street accountable), securing America's borders (keeping out ISIS and other groups content on destroying this nation), holding American law enforcement accountable (eradicating systematic racial discrimination in and by law enforcement), avoiding using tax-payer funds to finance Planned Parenthood and other immoral practices (if a woman wants to get an abortion, let it be on her own dime, not mine), and most importantly, the preservation of religious liberty (do not try to suppress the voice of Christians while giving a voice to Islam and the LGBTQ Community).
These are what's most important to me. These are the policies I'm voting on. What's yours? Either way, regardless of what happens and who becomes President, I will be doing what I've been doing for the last few years of my life: trusting God and seeking His face, and relying on His guidance and power in my life.