Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
J. O’Rourke
By Dr. Jim Ferguson
As many of you already know, Tennesseans are getting new automobile license plates. I am envious of my wife because she is already sporting her handsome new plates and I can’t get mine until the end of the year. Bummer. But this is a first world problem. Children – and those who never grew up – often whine, “It’s not fair!” Actually, life is not always fair. Grow up!
An interesting aspect of our new license plates is that you get to choose whether you would like In God We Trust on your plate or not. My wife, Becky, chose to drive with God’s ensign and so will I. And that’s where this essay began.
In 1776 the United States chose E Pluribus Unum as our motto. The Latin translation is “out of many, one.” In 1956 our official motto was changed to “In God We Trust.” Perhaps it’s just as well that the motto was changed because we are no longer one people. But do Americans still trust in God?
While affiliations with religious groups have declined, the Pew Research Center in 2021 found that 58% of Americans say they believe in God as described in the Bible, and an additional 32% say there is some higher power or spiritual force in the universe. Actually, I am encouraged by these findings. We live in an increasingly secular society, so I believe spirituality is to be encouraged. Some years ago my minister preached a sermon where he described people who were “functional atheists” because they did not make God a part of their daily lives. However, I’m not like Jesus who could look into the heart and soul of a person. It does seem that some live closer to God than others, but my observations are fallible.
I knew of the political satirist and journalist P. J. O’Rourke, but I did not know him. Others, whose opinions I respect, spoke highly of his work, so I ordered his last book because he recently died. Ferguson’s axiom is, “You know a writer when you read his work.” Those who follow my column know a great deal about me, but I assure you that there is more than in this column. Read my latest novel Mantis and you will see! I decided to use a quote from Mr. O’Rourke because he and I share an irreverent view of politicians and government. And I will soon “know” more of him when I read his book.
As I pin this essay, it’s hard to think about anything other than the latest war in Europe. I had planned another topic, but as I listened to iPOTUS last Thursday, I thought, how can anyone think our country or the world is better off with this PINO rather than President Trump? Russia and China were held in check by Trump. And then Covid hit, and along with the Democrat and media attacks on Trump, our country was distracted, divided and weakened.
The results are obvious. Like Ukranians, our country is being invaded across the nonexistent southern border. With Trump we were energy independent and exporting natural gas, but Biden canceled the Keystone pipeline, stopped oil exploration and imposed new regulations on fracking. As a result we are again begging Saudi Arabia to increase oil production and gas/energy prices are skyrocketing. Trump had stymied the Nord Stream pipeline designed to pump natural gas from Russia to Germany and make billions of dollars for Putin. Biden reversed Trump’s policy and approved the pipeline until he reversed himself with the Ukraine invasion. If Germany were buying gas from us they would not be hostage to Russia. Additionally, our poor monetary policies have ushered in rampant inflation making all of us poorer. If Trump were President we would have left Afghanistan with honor, we would still have the strategic Bagram airbase one hour from China and we would not have left our equipment to arm the Taliban.
Obama warned us about Biden, “Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to [foul] things up.” But media and Democrat lies fostered an irrational hatred of President Trump and brought us a doddering, ineffectual POTUS. Those who voted for Biden are reaping their reward and the world is paying the price.
It is unfortunate that many disregard the lessons of history or trust the media. Consider the horrible starvation of Ukraine engineered by Stalin in 1932 where millions died. As representative of the “legacy media,” The New York Times repeatedly lied about those events in Ukraine and other notable instances. I suggest you consider the 5 minute video of history at PragerU.com, Can You Trust the NY Times?
Trump was unpredictable, not a feckless politician like Biden. Trump allegedly threatened Putin, saying if he moved on Ukraine he would attack Moscow. He also challenged China’s communist dictator Xi Jinping, threatening an attack on Beijing if China moved on Taiwan. Trump demanded that NATO pay their military commitments or he would not defend them if they were attacked. Tough talk, perhaps hyperbole or a bluff. But we had peace then and we don’t now. The Washington ruling class and elites were troubled by Trump’s bravado and destroyed him. Americans are suffering from collateral damage.
We now face the Russian bear ruled by an ex-KGB colonel who is considered brash and unpredictable. As a student of history I find Biden eerily similar to Neville Chamberlain of the 1930s. And in last Thursday’s presidential address, Biden stated that “no one expected the sanctions would prevent an attack.” Then what’s the point? During the Syrian conflict, I remember Obama threatening Bashar Assad not to cross the “red line” of chemical weapon use. And then Obama/Biden did nothing when Assad killed 1400 with sarin gas.
I’m just a retired doctor and I have no idea where this is going. Again, reading from history it is said that plans for war and battle are made, but as soon as the fighting starts all plans are useless.
Putin is unpredictable, but was checked by the equally “unpredictable” Pres. Trump. Do you still prefer our PINO?
