Recently someone asked, “Roy, what are you looking for in 2016 politically?”  I’m glad they qualified the question or I would have answered quite differently.  The question was not what do I expect to happen but what I am looking for or want to happen in 2016 politically.  One reflects my hope and desire the other would reflect what I see in the Spirit and what I am concerned is coming down the pike in America and the world.

Watching the Republican Debate (Audition) a number of things flooded into my mind and I am still reflecting on them.  The one thing that I came away with was what I would like to see in America nationally 2016 and beyond.  I am constantly thinking and rethinking what I believe to be critical politically as well as socially, economically, in National Defense and spiritually.  A number of the candidates offered hope that these things might somehow become part of the GOP platform in 2016 but that would largely depend on the nominee.  If it is another mainstream establishment moderate to liberal the GOP nominates hope goes out the window, but if the nominee is a constitutional conservative there is hope.  I have identified a small number who would qualify as truly constitutional conservatives, some I’m still vetting and some who are polar opposites of that ideological position.

WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR???

GOVERNMENT…

I want to see the size and scope of the federal government reduced dramatically and agree with Rand Paul and a couple others that I’d like to see it so small you hardly notice but that is not going to happen.  Reduced?  Possibly.  Reduced to that size?  Not a Chance. 

I want to see the deficit and spending reduced dramatically and the budget balanced but there are some caveats I must include.  I do not want a balanced budget that uses “baseline budgeting” for that will mean spending is not curtailed even if the budget is somehow balanced.  I want and “zero based budgeting” where we start a zero not where we were last year and give the automatic 5-10% increase and if we reduce the amount of automatic increase call it a cut.  IT IS NOT A CUT it is a paper manipulation that affords opportunity for spin and rhetoric.

I want to see entitlements dramatically reduced and provide a pathway to a person bettering themselves not becoming a professional recipient of government handouts.  Call me whatever you want that is destructive to America, the American dream and human dignity.  Making it more appealing to sit on one’s duff and receive a check than work is morally and fiscally wrong.

MILITARY.

I agree with numerous candidates that we MUST have a strong military and provide them with whatever tools, equipment and weapons needed to protect and defend this nation and our national sovereignty.  However, while I disagree with Senator Paul on funding the military I do agree that we need to do it while reducing and/or eliminating the incredible waste that exists in military spending.  We need to control the proverbial $700 hammer and $150 nut or bolt.  There is incredible waste that we could eliminate and thereby reduce the money given to the military while increasing our national defense and making the military stronger.  That being said, we MUST have a strong military!

AMNESTY.

I do not agree with Jeb Bush or John Kasich and some others that we need to just turn our heads and ignore those here ILLEGALLY.  I also, understand that it is a problem to uproot families and split them.  We must SECURE THE BORDER, first and foremost and after the border is secured we can then work through what we do with the millions of illegals.  It is not a cut and dried problem, in my mind, but it is not as complicated as some would desire to make it.   I agree that it is not humane to ignore our laws and allow a flood of illegals from wherever who want to do whatever in our country.  We are either a nation maintaining its sovereignty or we are not and to fail to protect and secure our borders and enforce our laws would be an assault on law abiding American citizens.

STOP THE MADNESS.

Whether it is global warming/climate change, political correctness run amok or a hell-bent desire to force us into Socialism if not Marxism or Communism must end.  We have more civil unrest in America today than when Barack Obama was inaugurated as president.  It is not by chance this has occurred it is by design and this administration has facilitated the escalation.  We should be light years down the road to energy independence and interpersonal and ethnic relations should be improving rather than digressing.  I am convinced the left wants unrest for it fuels the fire which drives their ideological agenda.  They need an angry base to insure voter turnout, political and economic pressure.  Without it, they would lose every election and every ideological argument.

I do not believe that isolationism is conservatism but rather that it is dangerous.  I do not want us to be the World Police but I do want us to protect and defend our national security and have the backs of our allies in the interest of world peace.  I fully believe that we have the best opportunity to achieve and maintain peace through strength not weakness.  I do believe that our economy could be advanced rapidly if Government’s fingers were dramatically removed from the pie.  I fully support a total elimination of the Internal Revenue Service and believe we can best achieve that via a “Flat” or “Fair/Consumption” tax.

The problems we face are complex and the solutions are not easily placed in a few paragraphs.  However, I believe that if Christians were to truly adopt 2 Chronicles 7:14 as our guide and make it a reality in our lives we would see the hand of God move powerfully.  Would that eliminate the need for our involvement?  No it would not but would provide a base from which to achieve the desired result.  I have contended for a long time that what we need from believers is:  Repent, Return and Prayer. 

America we are on the brink of victory or destruction and what we do in the next few months will largely if not completely determine that.  God bless you and God bless America!