The Third Political Party

Why I Can No Longer Support Today’s Republican Party

Until recently, I was a lifelong Republican. I chose the party when I first began voting because it stood for freedom, small government, and respect for the individual. It was a party I was proud to belong to. But a lot has changed in the past 50 years.

Today, what used to be a two-party system feels more like three. We have Democrats, Republicans, and a third faction I’ll call the MAGA Republicans. This group originally surfaced as the Tea Party, but when most Americans resisted its extreme agenda, its leaders abandoned the name and moved into the Republican Party, keeping the brand but discarding its long-held values.

There are still many Republicans who carry the values of the “Grand Old Party.” Yet for reasons I don’t fully understand, they have allowed this infiltration to go unchecked. Many continue to vote Republican out of habit, and in doing so, have created fertile ground for MAGA Republicans to replace the party’s morals, values, and focus. Ironically, the people who loudly call others “RINOs” — Republicans in name only — have become exactly that.

What Republicans Once Represented

Traditional Republicans believed in the individual and in the future of our country. They valued honesty, conservative principles, and personal responsibility. They wanted government to stay out of people’s private choices. Most of the Republicans I’ve known through my church and community have been people of strong morals and integrity.

That vision has been cast aside. Political debate today often looks like a middle-school insult contest. We used to argue over policies and principles. Now the loudest voices compete to see who can demean opponents the most.

Truth Replaced by Conspiracy

Honesty has also eroded. Of course, dishonesty exists in every party, but MAGA Republicans have normalized it. Conspiracy theories are spun with no regard for truth — the only goal is to inflame anger and gain power. Winning has become more important than reality.

Consider the words of the 1984 Republican Party Platform:

The Democratic Party [... ] thinks our country has passed its peak. It offers Americans redistribution instead of expansion, contraction instead of growth, and despair instead of hope. In foreign policy, it asserts the rhetoric of freedom, but in practice, it follows a policy of withdrawal and isolation.
— Republican Party Platform, 1984

Ironically, this description applies far more to MAGA Republicans today than it ever did to Democrats. They praise authoritarian leaders like Putin, Orbán, Xi, and Kim Jong-un. Some even speak of leaving NATO. These authoritarian figures are not models of democratic leadership — and there is not one of those countries I would choose to live in.

America Is Not in Decline

MAGA Republicans paint a picture of a weak and failing America. This is a scare tactic — and it isn’t true. The United States continues to stand as the largest economy in the world, with a nominal GDP of over $29 trillion, accounting for more than one-quarter of global economic output.(Wikipedia)

Crime, too, has been falling. Violent crime declined an estimated 4.5% in 2024, marking continued reductions in major categories—murders fell nearly 15%, aggravated assaults decreased 3%, robberies decreased 8.9%, and rapes dropped 5.2%.(Federal Bureau of Investigation, The Guardian) In many U.S. cities, homicide rates remain well below pre-pandemic levels.(My WordPress)

These facts undermine the claim that America is unraveling — in reality, we’re moving forward on multiple fronts.

The Poison of Bigotry

Perhaps most troubling is the blatant bigotry. When leaders call a race of people “poison,” slander a religion, or spread lies that immigrants are eating pets, they reveal not leadership but hatred. These lies wound real people and turn Americans against each other. All people — of every race, religion, and background — are made in the image of God. To call them “poison” is to reject that truth.

Empty Promises for Ordinary Americans

MAGA Republicans often warn about “socialism,” a loaded word used more for fear than clarity. I agree that socialism isn’t the answer, but I also believe God calls us to care for both the poor and the middle class. Instead, this faction pushes tariffs that could raise consumer prices by around 20%, seeks to roll back affordable healthcare, and reserves the largest tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations. Ordinary Americans are left behind so the rich can get richer.

Immigration as a Political Weapon

Immigration is a real challenge, and I agree increased action was needed sooner. But when a bipartisan bill — developed by both parties — was nearing passage, it was blocked by a presidential candidate who preferred to keep the issue alive as a campaign weapon. Solving the problem mattered less than fueling fear and division.

My Vote This Year

This year, I will vote for the Democratic candidate. If a Republican candidate truly represented the values of the party I once loved, I might support them. But in this election, there are only two viable options: a Democrat or a MAGA Republican. I will never vote for the latter.

As Mesa, Arizona’s Republican mayor John Giles said:

“Voting for a Democrat does not make you a Democrat, it makes you a patriot. It’s okay to vote for change.”

We have lost the ability to hear

I am sitting out on my back porch listen to music. No, it is not the music we listen to in church. I have come to think of that as "bubble" music. It places us into a bubble where all is pure and wonderful. It touches our heart where we need to be touched. But it exists in a bubble. It is not the real world. It is praise and joy and halleluiah. It is heaven on Earth. But most people live in hell...

I don't intend to be offensive here but I suspect that I will be to many of my brothers and sisters. I am going to sacrifice some of our sacred cows. We have them, you know. Like Aaron and the children of Isreal at the foot of Mt. Siani, we have built our own calves of gold. We name one of those idols Doctrine. The teachings that define us as different from those that do not have it right. The idols of division that cause us to look down our nose at those that honestly understand the word differently than us. We squabble, judge and sneer at each other with words intentionally chosen to cut down and degrade others that believe in Jesus and are trying their best to live lives as His disciple.

We have closed our ears to the world around us. We can no longer hear them. We can no longer care about them because we are fixated on whether or not a female can serve crackers and grape juice, speak or share a thought. We are fixated on "decently and in order". Our minds are fully engaged. We can argue the point. We can debate and win. We are obsessed with the mechanics, the doing, the outward signs of our righteousness and like the church of the Ephesians, we have lost our first love. Our heart has taken second place to our mind's desire to "do things right".

I can think of no instance when Jesus condemned a people for their doctrine. I can think of no instance when God, before Jesus, condemned the Jews for the way in which they worshiped him. If there was any condemnation it was because their hearts were not right. Not because their minds were not right. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus is very pointed. God wants our hearts, not just our minds.

What if what we do on Sunday mornings is meaningless in the larger scheme of things. What if the fact that we have elders and preachers instead of pastors is meaningless. What if the fact that we take the Lords Supper every week is not important to our Lord. What if the fact that we sing acapella is just a nice thing to us. What if the structure of our worship is but a convenience, one to encourage us but not necessarily the command of God. What if God is not interested in our identity. I ask because I am not sure I know the answer. In my heart I believe that our focus may be misdirected.

All that said to say that we have lost the ability to hear, listen, understand... Wondering when I would get to the title? So was I :)

I believe we have become blind and deaf to the world. They are hurting. Pain that we are, for the most part, incapable of understanding. Who among us has suffered from addiction, abortion, rape, family hatred, vindictiveness, and poverty? (If you are reading this it is likely that you are in the top 5% of global society) Who among those that are reveling in their salvation, their heaven on Earth, is willing to do as Jesus did and step outside of paradise to see, understand and love the people who still live in hell every day. Every single day. Hell.

We need to learn how to listen. We need to learn how to hear the cries of the lost and hear them in their own language (crude as it might be). Jesus did not come to judge but to offer salvation. We need to remove our blinders and open our hearts to the hurt that surrounds us. We, like Jesus, need to focus on the needs of the impoverished, the sinner, the sluts (does that word offend you?), the thieves, the people dependent on society and the generosity of others.

We are to be Jesus. He "Heard" (with all of the connotations that come with that word), the woman caught in adultery, the woman at the well living in sin, the blind men, the lepers, the dregs of society. He did not isolate Himself within the bubble. He did not wear blinders. He saw people. All people.

So, as we politely (or not) argue the finer points of the law and how we should communicate and how we devote our energies in the defense of the mechanics of our faith, our "doctrine", people are dying, alone, in pain, in sin and all the ugliness that comes with that. Are you willing to leave your paradise to "hear" and save the lost? Jesus was.

Who to Vote for in 2016

What's on my mind, FaceBook asks.... How should I vote? That is what is on my mind...

I got my mail in ballot the other day asking for my choice of person to represent my political party in the presidential race. I have yet to choose. None of them show the type of integrity I would wish to see represent me to the nations of the world. I would be politically embarrassed if any of them succeeded in gaining the position. Still the choice looms and not choosing is, to use a good old 70's term: "A cop out". Therefore I ponder...

There is a passage in Ezekiel 16:46-50 that weighs on me heavily as I consider where to place my little black dots signifying my support for the person running for the office of President of our nation.

If the words of God in the Old testament were printed in red as the words of Jesus frequently are in the New Testament, the page would positively glow with the color. God is upset with the country that He calls His. The people that He has chose to be a blessing to the world. The one He calls "beloved". His words are harsh for His people.

He says:

“Behold, everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb concerning you, saying, ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and children. You are also the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. Now your older sister is Samaria, who lives north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lives south of you, is Sodom with her daughters. Yet you have not merely walked in their ways or done according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you acted more corruptly in all your conduct than they."

Paraphrased: You are as bad, no, worse than the countries that you hate hate the most. And the worst part is that all of the other countries that you think should look up to you - They are the ones mocking you, using you in cliche, saying you are no different from them.

He continues:

"As I live,” declares the Lord God, “Sodom, your sister and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done."

Wow! Remember Sodom? They were so evil that God destroyed, no, obliterated them. And we all know what they did wrong. Right?

"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me."

Oh, Wait. That is not what I expected to hear. They did not take care of their poor? That is why they were wiped from the face of the planet? But... but... but... What about the way we treat our poor? Surely there was an escape clause for the lazy or the stupid or those that made poor choices. Searching.... searching.... can't find one. I think we are in trouble.

He closes with a single, very short, blunt and to the point sentence:

"Therefore I removed them when I saw it."

Friends, if that does not make you want to run and hide, you are simply not getting it. I want to run and hide. I want this election to be over. I want to stop being the laughing stock of our "sisters" and and "mothers" as the politicians profess a life they do not live and seek to gain a position of power through fear mongering, deceit and false promises.

How am I going to vote??... I don't know yet but this one thing I do know. I will side with those that would not be arrogant, not be careless at ease and who will work diligently to care for the poor and needy. If these are God's priorities, they should be the priorities of all those that would call Him Lord.

If you got all the way to the end of this post then you have more patience that I probably would have had :)smile emoticon 

God bless you and vote responsibly!

First Posting

Here I sit, like I am sure thousands before me have done, and ponder what words of wisdom I should open my blog with. There is a strong desire for them to be wise and deep. Another part of me wants them to be witty and clever. Yet another part of me wants it to be grammatically correct and spelled right.

As I read what I just wrote, a smile crosses my face. I, like all people, am the sum of my parts. My parts, though, I have recognized, classified and named. Allow me the time to introduce what makes me me to you.

I see myself as having three basic parts. The part that is typing this post is the "Poet". I am a quiet introspective man. Beauty can make me cry. I am empathetic to others. I can feel their joy and their pain. I am an encourager. I am weak and I don't care. I think in pictures and can not describe anything without drawing pictures. As I write I see the page as a canvas on which to paint my message. I am the heart, the seat of emotions. I am easily hurt and long to heal. I am selfless and vulnerable. I am love.

I am the Imp [everybody say hi to the Imp! "Hi Imp!!!"] I am the center of attention. I love calling attention to myself. I am selfish and I don't care. No, really, I don't care. I care only about me. Rules? Who needs them. They are there for the sport of evading them. I am the one who knows how to have fun. I laugh at bawdy jokes and I revel in my love for sensation: physical, emotional and even spiritual. I love new experiences. I am all over the place. Focus is not for me. Were it not for the Poet and Soldier's help, I could not write what I am writing here. The Poet is making me do this and the Soldier is making me do it right. I am done now. Somebody else's turn.

Seems the Imp has already introduced me. Somebody has to keep this group under control. I am not hampered by emotions, like the Poet. Neither am I reckless, like the Imp. Were it not for me nothing would ever get done. The Poet does not work and the Imp only works at mischief. Somebody has to bring home a paycheck. Somebody has to do what needs to be done. That is me. I am also responsible for the other two. I stand between the Poet and the world whenever he gets himself hurt. I am the protector. I also bind the the Imp. I keep him out of trouble even if he does not appreciate it. I do not need appreciation, though the Poet seems to enjoy it when I get it. This post is getting loo long. We should wrap it up here.

I, as a whole, have often noticed that when any one of the three of me becomes dominate or dominated, my life becomes unbalanced. Harmony of me is peace. Disharmony, is the seed of depression. But that is food for though for another post.


-Poet_Imp