I find it very curious that so many folks have enthusiastically thrown their support behind Donald Trump in 2016. But I’m particularly amazed at evangelicals who have fallen head over heels for Trump, both those in the pews, as well as noted evangelical leaders such as Jerry Falwell, Jr., Robert Jeffress and more. As I’ve listened to these men trumpet their praise for Donald, much of their rationale is based on the billionaire’s perceived business acumen and his supposed fiscal credentials.
In his statement endorsing Donald Trump, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr, called Trump, “a successful executive and entrepreneur.” And Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of 11,000 member First Baptist Church in Dallas, Tx., stated on FoxNews that evangelical pragmatists say, “Let’s find the most conservative person we can. Let him concentrate on fixing the economy… pragmatists are basically going towards Donald Trump.”
The sentiments by Falwell, Jeffers and millions of other “pragmatic” evangelicals prioritizing the economy and fiscal matters is quite puzzling and got me wondering whether other values of an individual should be ignored? Do a candidate’s positions on other issues matter? What about his personal behavior and life — is that fair game? Or should we simply remain focused on fiscal issues, as if strengthening the almighty dollar should be our nation’s singular priority?
Let’s consider another businessman who, by any measure of economic standards, has achieved extraordinary business success. In 1953, a 27-year-old entrepreneur, struggling to find his place in the world, invested $600 of his limited capital to launch a monthly periodical. The first issue was an instant success, selling out all 53,991 copies at 50 cents per copy. Over the next several years, the magazine’s circulation grew to over 1 million by 1960, and it continued on a rapid upward trend, peaking at over five million copies monthly in 1975.
Boosted by his rapid success, the young entrepreneur ventured into a number of related business ventures, including casinos and night clubs. With his growing success, the periodical he founded attracted mainstream authors and secured interviews with noted personalities, including presidential candidate Jimmy Carter and even Donald Trump.
Despite falling on hard times in the 80’s, the following decade the business regrouped under the leadership of his daughter. As a result, the enterprise that began as a men’s magazine nearly 40 years earlier successfully launched a TV channel and soon after that a membership only website. Fast forward to 2015 and the founder of that first fledgling periodical in 1953 now boasts a multi-billion dollar global operation. And this entrepreneur’s own personal net worth is estimated at $50 million… which all started with a $600 investment.
Obviously, from the title of my article you can already surmise our mystery entrepreneur is none other than Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy, one of the most economically successful men’s magazines of all time. Yet, by any measure of wholesome and upright values, Hugh Hefner is someone who has preyed on women and capitalized on the sexually degenerate appetites of men. Hefner is a man whose values have served to hasten our nation’s slide into the abyss of moral degradation and depravity. The door Hefner’s Playboy dared to crack open has ultimately served to proliferate an industry that has become so mainstream that many simply shrug their shoulders as it leads millions of young men down a dead end trail of remorse and regret.
Like Hugh Hefner, Donald Trump has achieved extraordinary business success and it’s this success that he touts when he claims, “I’m running for office in a country that’s essentially bankrupt, and it needs a successful businessman.” There is no doubt that America’s fiscal condition is dire with up to 40 percent of all federal expenditures being funded through increasing our national debt as it bursts through the $20 trillion mark. But driving this fiscal threat is our bankruptcy as a nation relative to our adherence to the Constitution and the principles of our founding fathers, including those Judeo-Christian values upon which America was founded.
Given these truths, we are faced with a chicken and egg type dilemma. Do economics drive a person’s values or do a person’s values drive their economics?
I believe all that we do flows from our core values so while evangelical leaders like Falwell and Jeffress appear to base their endorsement of Trump on his fiscal prowess, I believe one cannot and should not ignore the values behind Trump’s financial successes. So, let’s look very briefly at just a few of Trump’s “values” that would be at odds with the values many evangelicals and conservatives claim as their own:
Trump boasts in his book “The Art of the Comeback” about his numerous extra-marital exploits: “If I told the real stories of my experiences with women, often seemingly very happily married and important women, this book would be a guaranteed best-seller.“
Trump said in 1999 “I am very pro-choice” and he would not ban partial birth abortion. He claims to have changed his views in recent years.
Trump said he is open to the idea of continuing federal funding of Planned Parenthood for their “good aspects… and the things they do properly and good” but he would not fund the abortion part of their business.
Trump supports ethanol subsidies.
Trump supported President Obama’s Stimulus plan in 2009.
Trump supported the 2005 Supreme Court Kelo vs City of London dealing with eminent domain that authorized public authorities to seize private property for economic development by investors.
Trump supported TARP
Trump supports a universal healthcare system similar to Canada’s government-run system and the government would foot the bill for those who could not pay.
These are just a few highlights of Trump’s views that clearly conflict with conservative values. To find out more about the issues Trump supports, that should concern conservatives, go to Conservative Review. Additionally, for evangelical conservatives, articles by CNN and The Daily Beast provide additional areas of concern.
At the end of the day, I believe that one’s core values will ultimately influence every other decision a person makes. While our nation certainly requires some drastic fiscal reforms, there are still matters that should trump the dollar, even when it comes to Donald Trump. Finally, we should all remember the words of Jesus when He said, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” At this crucial time in our nation’s history, are we more concerned in gaining the world or losing our souls?
Mark West
Ooltewah
* * *
People say he flip flops on issues or he is lying about everything. When was the last time a Republican politician told me the truth? They come around campaigning about stopping this and opposing that and when they get in office they vote to fully fund that program. It just happened. Congress passed a budget fully funding Obamacare and a couple weeks later vote to repeal it knowing it would be vetoed. It's all smoke and mirrors to them.
Maybe Washington can be compared to WWE. Each side gets on TV and talks about the other and meanwhile they are together behind the cameras laughing at us all for falling for it.
Do you really think any Republican, especially Rubio, will fix any of our problems when he supports amnesty? If so you must be one of those people who do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result.
Give Trump four years and see what he does. If he does nothing then that's exactly where we will be electing any politician. So if you are tired of being lied to and want a real chance of improving our country then the choice is simple. You have to vote to give Trump a chance.
Jimmy Gray
* * *
One fact about Donald Trump’s popularity that few people know or highlight is that over 50 percent of Republicans nationwide have a negative view of him. He not only has a ceiling that will keep him from getting a majority of Republicans behind him, but he has a huge problem in November and is certain to lose in November. He will continue to hold the lead and win states as long as multiple candidates stay in the race but he will not become the President of the United States.
He has brought a lot of attention on issues that must be addressed and brought new people into the process, but now it is time to nominate someone who can beat Hillary Clinton. All polling for some time demonstrates that one person holds a solid lead over Hillary Clinton in a general election match up and that person is Marco Rubio.
When elected, Marco Rubio will be the most conservative President since Calvin Coolidge was elected president, including Ronald Reagan. Senator Rubio is totally committed to building the fence to secure the southern border and stop illegal immigration before we even discuss what to do with the 11 million undocumented citizens. However, I can assure you that the party of border security will win but the party of deportation will be slaughtered in November.
This is simply an election gimmick. Mature people know that this would be a disaster for our country.
The future of our Republic is at stake. This is no time to elect a reality TV star as President of the United States.
Zach Wamp
State Chairman- Marco Rubio for President
* * *
While I would much rather have Ted Cruz on the ballot for the general election, what’s wrong with a reality TV star?
We’ve had an empty suit for the last seven years in the White House, reality TV can’t be worse.
John T. Sanders
* * *
Like it or not, Donald Trump will more than likely be the next President with 50 percent of the Republican vote, 90 percent of grass root Americans that normally don’t vote and a sizable segment of the Democrats that will jump ship that are fed up with Washington’s control of our country and politicians, past and present.
Hillary Clinton will come under intense scrutiny from Trump when he is the nominee that no other current Republican running for office can do with the powerful impact Trump will have. It’s a sure bet Bill Clinton will stay in the background as he has way too much dirty laundry to challenge Trump.
Trump is a deal maker and has people on his payroll that are very savvy and intelligent to run his companies. I would think that Trump puts people in position of authority that in some cases are smarter than he is. That’s part of his success by bringing the right people together to do specific jobs. The same will be true in his administration.
Time for drastic change and it sure as heck can’t be any worse than it is now. If Trump only gets illegal immigration, radical Muslims, the Veterans Administration, jobs back in America, a stronger military and Iran under control it would be a successful administration compared to what we have now.
Rubio, Cruz, Carson and Kasich are very formidable candidates but will not have the command and respect that Trump will have. If Trump were to fail, which I doubt, any of the remaining four would be superior to Clinton or Sanders.
Michael Mansfield
* * *
Mr. West points out Playboy and Hugh Hefner in his excellent opinion on Donald Trump. I would like to invite anyone that thinks Donald Trump is a flip flopper or politician to read his 1990 interview in Playboy, it can be found with Google. The interview is 26-years-old and could have been done last week. Mr. Trump has been consistent on his stance for almost 30 years what politician can say the same?
Mr. Wamp also needs to be careful with the rhetoric with which he paints Mr. Trump because barring a bolt of lightning from above he will need to get behind Mr. Trump in November to beat Hillary Clinton. Marco Rubio would be an excellent vice president, he is however, a little wet behind the ears for the most powerful job in the world.
I find it very entertaining to watch the Republican establishment continue to come up with reasons why Mr. Trump will never be the nominee, let alone the president, yet they continue to be proven wrong. People are sick and tired of business as usual in Washington DC. Perhaps a reality star (which I know is a term used as a perjorative) is just what the country needs. It seems the last time we elected an actor to the White House he did o.k. The questions people should ask are what budget other than his checkbook has Marco Rubio ever balanced, where did he get the idea to build a wall on the southern border, and who is most qualified to negotiate trade deals and broker deals in congress.
Mark Maynor