Caesars and Saviors

Donald Trump

Conservative Americans have been looking for the next Ronald Reagan since 1989 when the first Ronald Reagan finished his second term in the White House.

Reagan was a polarizing figure. To those on the right, he saved the United States from the disastrous policies of Jimmy Carter (1977-81) that led to rampant inflation, a stagnant economy and the loss of respect from America's enemies around the world.

To those on the left, Reagan was their worst nightmare. He promoted capitalism, a big military and a small government. And he promoted freedom and independence from an intrusive plutocracy. That's anathema to leftists who love opulent government, Marxist economics and confiscatory taxes.

Since Reagan left the Oval Office, the United States has moved steadily to the left. Actually, America was moving to the left before Reagan was elected, but the U.S. still possessed a significant conservative population that won Reagan two terms. 

However, America no longer possesses a significant conservative population. Many of those conservatives that elected Reagan in 1980--military veterans, Christians, Baby Boomers etc. are no longer around. The succeeding generations of Xers, Yers and Millennials were weaned on multicultural Marxist claptrap that taught them capitalism is a terrible thing and socialism is a good thing.

They've been taught that conservatives are greedy capitalists and anti-science cretins who want to oppress minorities, shove the Bible down their throats and turn America into a Christian theocracy. And they've been taught that the Republican Party is the party of conservatives who oppress women and are bigots, racists, xenophobes, Islamophobes, homophobes etc. 

For those who remain skeptical of that, consider how and why Barack Obama was reelected in 2012 to a second term in the White House. In 1980, Barack Obama would never have been reelected. But in 2012 he was because he spoke the language of three generations of people who were brainwashed into embracing his worldview and form of government.

And so, the conservative movement wants to find the next Ronald Reagan who'll stem the tide of leftism that's turning America into a third world outhouse and a secular wasteland. They believe that such a man will restore America's conservative principles and return the U.S. to a "Christian nation" once again.

That's why America's once formidable conservative movement loathes Donald Trump, the current Republican front-runner for his party's presidential nomination. He's not the man to restore conservative values in America. Bill Kristol wrote this for the National Review: In sum: Isn’t Trumpism a two-bit Caesarism of a kind that American conservatives have always disdained? Isn’t the task of conservatives today to stand athwart Trumpism, yelling Stop?

Sorry. It was Jesus Christ who said this: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s." (Mark 12:17) And the apostle Paul wrote this: "No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules." (2 Timothy 2:4-5)

If conservatives want to restore Judeo-Christian values in America, then they'll need to do it through the power of Jesus Christ rather than through the ballot box. It's not a political leader's responsibility to enforce conservative values. They're responsible for upholding the Constitution and protecting America from her enemies. 

Conservatives and Christians have to make Christianity relevant to the world once again. That's done by contending for the faith (Jude 1:3) and not by politics. If they can make Judeo-Christian values relevant to the world, they won't have to worry about finding the next Ronald Reagan. Because everyone will fear God and uphold his commandments and laws.