Events have occurred in this presidential election that are unprecedented in my lifetime, but also in all of American history. Historians might point to three unique political occasions in my lifetime that this one tops. I’m saying that too. The three are Watergate, Bill Clinton impeachment, and Bush-Gore 2000.
If we go back into all of American history, there are some amazing political times. The founding fathers did a great job with the United States Constitution, however, in need of amendment when Thomas Jefferson became Vice-President to John Adams (1796), the two of different ideologies and political parties. Sitting Vice-President Aaron Burr shot and killed founding father, Alexander Hamilton, in a duel (1804). The 1824 Presidential election went to the House of Representatives, which chose John Quincy Adams through controversial back-room dealings that required Henry Clay as Secretary of State.
With great fanfare, John C. Calhoun became the first of only two Vice Presidents to resign in intense opposition to Andrew Jackson in late 1832 over protective tariffs. Perhaps Jackson outdid that by shutting down the national bank in 1833. The House of Representatives impeached Andrew Johnson in 1868. In the election of 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes lost the popular vote to Samuel J. Tilden, and despite winning the electoral college by one vote, it was thrown to the House of Representatives, where Hayes won in the seventh ballot, only with the support of Democrats and a deal to end reconstruction.
Only months into his presidency, James Garfield was shot and murdered in 1881 by one of his political supporters, because he had denied him a political appointment. William Howard Taft lost the presidential election in 1912 to Woodrow Wilson, only because his closest friend, Teddy Roosevelt, ran against him in a third party candidacy.
When you jump to my lifetime, Richard Nixon was caught robbing the DNC headquarters at the Watergate building and after his cover-up was exposed by Washington Post reporters, he resigned as president. President Bill Clinton had sexual relations with a young White House intern, lied about it on national television and again under oath in a case of sexual harassment against him, so he was impeached by the House of Representatives in 1998. Al Gore won the popular vote in the presidential election of 2000, but George W. Bush narrowly won the electoral college, narrowly winning the pivotal swing state of Florida, subject to a Supreme Court decision after a challenge by the Gore campaign.
We come to Clinton and Trump. We don’t yet know what history will show, but James Comey, the director of the FBI, both an Obama and Bush appointee, is afraid what history would show if he did not open an investigation against Hillary Clinton. Less than two weeks before the election, the candidate of a major political party is under investigation for potential multiple imprisonable crimes. Many, including myself, based on evidence that is already well-known, believe she is guilty.
Donald Trump is a unique candidate himself, and unprecedented in his qualifications. We’ve never seen anyone like him. When you add Hillary Clinton, is this the most historic, unprecedented political strangeness in American history? You tell me. Certain other factors make this even stranger to me. Despite Clinton’s historic badness, Trump could lose for two strange reasons, lack of his own party’s support, who sabotage his campaign to give the election to Clinton, or by voting in the solid-red state of Utah for a never-elected Mormon protest candidate, Evan McMullin (it’s a toss-up right now). So strange.
Here is a highlight to what is at stake; Airbnb unveiled their compulsory "Community Commitment". The crux of it is this paragraph:
You commit to treat everyone—regardless of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or age—with respect, and without judgment or bias.
If you do not agree to this, which is a guideline for how you have to think to be part of their community, you are denied use of their service, either as a host or a traveler, and are invited to cancel your account. Unlike the baker who would not make a cake for perverts, I doubt the federal government will step in.
This type of case will certainly be reviewed by the supreme court in the next two presidential terms. Hillary has vowed to appoint deviants and perverts who will promote perversion. Real persecution cannot be too far behind.
Farmer,
I would like to know if there is a more evil politician in America than Hillary Clinton, except that so many are in collaboration with her. It shouldn't be it amazes me what's happening. It's breath taking.
The reaction of the media to this FBI investigation? Immediate stories scraped up to discredit Trump: NY Times on a really made-up tax problem, just a bright shiny thing, offered to the rest of the media vultures, released at this time in a very transparent way. Then begging the FBI to investigate a Russian connection. I've got to then hand it to the NY Times. They must be pushed toward that story and they can't write it. They know the FBI has already scoured Trump and found nothing. They have now written that.
Is this America's "Time of the Judges"… Every man doing what is right in his own eyes and all the" bizarreness" that goes with it?
We closed out Airbnb account immediately due to that new agreement. I wrote them about it, too.
Pastor Brandenburg, I tried to wait until all the election opinions finalized before asking yours. Just mainly interested in knowing what you think is actually dividing the Christian vote. I would provide links, but I'm sure you are aware of the prevailing voices and thoughts. Al Mohler? Continues to not want to be a hypocrite in his Clinton character opinions by voting Trump. Yet in his posts about past elections, it's all about pro-life, issues, Supreme Court. Blog and Mablog with the #NeverTrump to the rejection of past concern and efforts with anti-abortion affecting their votes? Sharper Iron. Same thing. One only has to search "Romney/elections" to see key voices fervently pushing issues over candidate concerns. And now those considering/promoting Trump (in a consistent manner) are the pragmatists to be mocked? Because someone has crossed their line of sensibilities? And they have their crystal ball in the Jeffress post knowing what Trump "will" do. The term "religiously politically correct" comes to mind. I don't know. Just wondered your take in all of this. And yes, I know of those that are being consistent. Not sure who's the loudest or the biggest or the rightest sometimes! More importantly, why such a rift.
Kayla,
I'm planning, Lord-willing, to write one or two posts between today and next Tuesday for the election. I happen to agree with you. I obviously have made it public despite the reactions I've gotten. Even though I think the gospel is the biggest issue overall everywhere, I see this election as important. I do think I'm right about this. I'll explain more.
David, I would rather litigate and compel them to allow me to use their service. If a Christian baker can be bankrupted for refusing to make a wedding cake with two men, these San Francisco perverts can be compelled to take my bookings. I think while we have the opportunity, we should use the courts to hold these things back as long as we can. We will not always have that opportunity.