America is not one election away from doomsday
Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.
With the increased influence of socialists in Democratic Party politics, the warnings on the Right have become increasingly apocalyptic. We're familiar with the "Flight 93 election" rhetoric from 2016 and some of the rhetoric is even louder than it was then. This is why I am urging my fellow conservatives: Calm down and do not overreact.
Yes, the "Democratic socialists" could do a significant amount of damage if they take power in 2026 and 2028, the way Democrats leveraged their 2006 and 2008 wins to push through ObamaCare and other things. But that overreach led to enormous Republican wave elections in 2010 and 2014, where Republicans captured the House and Senate, won multiple governorships and state legislative majorities, and set the stage for President Trump to be elected in 2016. Southern Indiana, which used to be much more politically mixed, became heavily Republican in that time.
What we need to realize is we have strong institutions, baked up by the fact that we have a system of government with separation of powers designed to pit the three branches of government against each other and designed to make the states jealous for their authority and against federal overreach. The American people have often reacted strongly against rapid change in either direction, and outside of extremely liberal enclaves socialism remains unpopular.
For Christians, we have something else: Faith in God. Do we really think a sovereign God is powerless to stop the advance of Communism and loss of liberties for the American people? Scripture teaches us in Proverbs 21:1 that God controls the ruler's heart. Yes, God may will persecution of Christians and the decline of our country, but we can also rely on Him to protect us and our homeland. Much of the discourse about storming the cockpit comes from a spirit of fear that ignores His sovereignty, and fears of economic collapse should be tempered by the knowledge that our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
There is danger in the "Flight 93" mentality. One of those dangers is increased anger, an increasingly combative stance on politics, and rhetorical excess that could even lead to violence. Over the last decade, Republicans have increasingly allowed anger and outrage to lead to more belligerence, forgetting that those who oppose us politically are also made in the image of God and are loved by Him. Anger over politics has even led to schism and division in the Church, as we are unable to see that people can disagree in good faith. This ought to shame us, but sadly it does not.
The other danger is compromise of principle. We were told two years ago that we had to compromise on saving the lives of unborn children, because we had to win. We have been told that we cannot reform entitlement programs that are speeding toward insolvency because we have to win. We have been told that personal character does not matter, because we have to win. But if we abandon our principles in order to "win," are we really winning anything? The answer ought to be a clear "no."
So calm down. Take a breath. Go outside and touch grass. Above all else, have faith that a loving God who sacrificed His only begotten Son to save us from eternal damnation in Hell Fire is more than capable of protecting us against the shifting winds of politics. Hold on to your principles, trusting that God will bless your faithfulness. Stop living in a spirit of fear that leads to anger, hate and suffering.