Gots to give the peoples what they want

If there's one thing I have thus far studiously avoided, more out of aggravation and fatigue than anything else, it's blogging here about political matters. Not that I don't care, but rather, I find the entire matter extremely tiresome. There was a time when arguing politics was something I relished, and certainly I still enjoy discussing issues. These days, however, especially online, there is little to no discussion. No one's interested in taking a topic and batting it around, looking at it from a couple different sides and digging around for what is truly factual about it. Instead, every issue becomes a new club to bash opponents over the head with.

However, this caught my eye, and I felt that it required addressing. Why? Only God knows.

Over the last several days, several Texas newspapers have been reporting some disturbing news concerning the race for Speaker of the House.

Much to the dismay of conservative Republicans across this state several liberal Republicans have apparently declared a political war against our Party.

Mr. Geren and a handful of “Republicans” actually participated in a conference call with members of the other Party in an attempt to pre-select a Speaker of the House. This is an incredible affront to Republicans across the state.

According to one article the “consensus candidate will not be chosen based on ideology or issues” but instead their main goals are to “be sensitive to everybody's feelings," and to make sure that incumbents are protected at all times. This is the “change” these individuals seek; individuals who will betray the trust of their voters, meet in secret and then demand a secret vote as its first order of business?

We are asking conservative voters to call their representatives and tell them we expect a majority of the Republican (majority) party to elect its next Speaker with an open and transparent vote.

That's great, and I certainly agree with the proposition. The problem is, the Republican party nationally and in the state has never given half a care about its principles up to this point. They've pushed a governor who's more than ready to thieve huge swaths of private property for a superhighway guaranteed to make any efforts to control the border more difficult. They're certainly not as nanny-like as the DFLers who've run the State Where Absolutely Nothing Is Allowed for many years, but they have the same tendencies at their root: We Know Better. Dallas' mayor thought so when he pushed for more smoking bans.

The kicker for me:

Remember, no one forced these representatives to sign up to run as a Republican; they did so willingly with the understanding there would be expectations from the electorate as well as the governing body of the Republican Party.

Indeed, that is the case. No, we elected these fools, knowing full well that they had no intention of doing what they said. I'm afraid that only total disaster will get people to start paying attention again in a way that matters.

This, of course, is part of the reason I've generally avoided digging into this stuff like I once did. For one, there's nothing to dig into; politics is as surface-level as one could possibly be. Secondly, there is a real tendency in me to give in to hopelessness as I see people in hard times eagerly reach towards socialism as the promised panacea to hard times and lost jobs. There is absolutely no sense in that notion--but, it appeals to man's sinful pride so readily in ways that conservatives who do not cling to Christ will never understand. Specifically, it appeals so much because it says to man, "You can perfect yourself, through your own deeds." Socialism at its source is straight up and down pride, often served with a creamy idolatry center since it has to be attached to a personality in order to sell to the masses.

Anyway: it's easy for me to look at the direction I see things moving and start feeling that all is lost. And that would be true, if it were not for the fact that all things on this Earth are temporal. If the central source of my joy were this nation and what it is and does, I would be most distraught. That's not to say it isn't something I treasure as a great gift from God to humanity--but He is still more valuable than anything, even what I believe is the greatest nation ever to dawn on the face of this planet. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Matt. 24:35)

In that spirit I pray to God that He would keep my spirit mindful of Him even in dark times, and help me to move forward single-mindedly towards the goal He has set out.