Posted on 03/30/2015 5:50:13 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
In 1979, the year before Republicans nominated Ronald Reagan as their presidential candidate, the Rev. Jerry Falwell and conservative activist Paul Weyrich founded the Moral Majority.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, recently announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., founded by Falwell.
Although Cruz made no reference to the Moral Majority in his remarks, his thinking is clearly in line with that of Falwell and Weyrich — that getting the largely politically inactive evangelical Christians politically engaged could change America.
Cruz’s detractors call him “extreme,” but he may not be so close to the fringe as they think. Cruz may indeed represent a large, unrepresented voter block in a highly polarized America.
Approval ratings for President Obama show historically high polarization. In recent data reported by Gallup, Obama’s approval from Democrats stood at 83 percent and at 13 percent among Republicans.
The average gap in approval between Republicans and Democrats for President Carter, whom Reagan defeated, was just 26 points. The average gap for Reagan during his presidency was 52 points.
America is a deeply divided nation today. Large parts of our population are barely on the same page regarding how they see the world and our nation.
Many see American freedom centered not in government, but in individuals taking personal responsibility for their lives.
In sharp distinction, another large cross section, those who continue to support our president, sees the essence of freedom as moral relativism and government sanctioned entitlement.
An example of this latter section of America is on display in the latest re-emergence of Monica Lewinsky in a presentation she made at a recent TED conference — a popular event largely attended by those in the technology and entertainment fields — entitled “The Price of Shame.”
Lewinsky drew much sympathy for her appeal against what she called “public humiliation” enabled by the power of the internet and technology.
But the essence of her pitch was moral relativism and entitlement.
Although she expressed regret about her affair with former President Bill Clinton, this certainly was not about personal repentance. Rather, the core of her message is her victimization. The focus of evil, in Lewinsky’s take on things, is with her accusers and not in her personal choices.
Lewinsky lobbies for a compassion that denies sin rather than a compassion that grants forgiveness once a wrong is acknowledged and a new path taken.
Contrast this with the message to America, and particularly to America’s young people, by baseball legend Mickey Mantle at the end of his life.
Playing for the New York Yankees in the 1950s and ‘60s, Mantle could do everything on the ballfield. He was an American idol.
Weeks before he died in 1995, suffering from liver cancer and cirrhosis from years of alcoholism, he conducted a press conference and appealed to America’s youth, “Don’t be like me.”
“God gave me a body and the ability to play baseball. I had everything I just ... I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to make it up.”
Cruz is betting the center of gravity of America can and should move — that our youth need to hear that every moment matters, that there is right and wrong, that choices have consequences for which they must take personal responsibility. And that is what really defines the essence of freedom.
MaY God Bless Cruz. He will need it.
In other words, motivate the thinkers.
This thread should have had more hits.
LOL!
Might be a bit excessive.
All I wanted was a vanilla shake......
C.C.C.C.C.C.Can't we all just get along?
“Hands up, don’t slug!! “
Since it’s likely you’re a white hispanic, the only racial designation we can now freely hate according to the NYT, I have no comment except kindly let me smash your head into the concrete!
Can I get ice tea, and Skillets ? “
Al Sharpton
Sharkie
lol
God will bless him - it's up to us to fund him that the blessings may overflow to the People under a President Cruz....
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