Soap Box

On November 3, 1936 - Six days after I was born on October 28 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected to his second term as President of the United States of America and went on to be elected an unprecedented four times, dying in office just a few months into his fourth term.

He had lead America out of the Great Depression and “Hoover” was tantamount to a curse word in our part of the country which was known as “the solid South” a strong Democratic enclave that would remember the Republican administration of Herbert Hoover as a bitter time
of economic struggle and government indifference.

It was to be many years before a Republican could make a dent in the depression-hardened working people of America and it took a war hero with proven bravery and well documented leadership qualities to achieve it and on January 20, 1953, Dwight David Eisenhower came into office for two terms.

John F. Kennedy was a new kind of president, bringing the 20th century and a new sense of style to the White House, a staunch civil rights supporter, which caused a lot of derision in the 1960’s South and his reticence to give the rebels air support in the Bay of Pigs invasion made him a lot of powerful enemies.

And even though he was much maligned by segregationists, anti-Castro expatriates and the more militant members of the House and Senate, and although he lost his life because of some misguided radical beliefs we’ll probably never have all the answers to, he was a very popular president, protected by the media and basically conservative by today’s standards.

Lyndon Johnson came to office with a load of baggage, a fairly shady political past and a proclivity to expand a most unpopular war.

Nixon fell into disfavor early in his tenure and in his desperation to be re-elected covered up a crime that would eventually cost him the presidency.

President Ford was a nice guy from Michigan, decent and wholesome by anybody’s standards and not given to the down and dirty mischief of presidential politics and was replaced by Jimmy Carter who was caught in the crossfire of the emerging Muslim Militancy in the Middle East and a long hostage crisis and a failed attempt at rescue marred his presidency.

Ronald Reagan revived the “America First,” red white and blue contingency, rebuilt the military and restored the nation’s prestige, with his “Don’t Tread On Me” brand of leadership. A true conservative, but respected by opponents.

George H.W. Bush was relegated to one term basically by one phrase concerning taxes. After emphasizing “read my lips, no new taxes”, taxes were raised during his administration and he was viewed as a promise-breaker, which is a shame because he was a decent man.

Bill Clinton, the good ol’ boy from Hope, Arkansas, replete with Southern accent and cracker barrel straight talk, that charmed much of the country, was impeached, but not convicted, a master manipulator and astute politician whose personal life kept overshadowing his presidential one.

George W. Bush was at the wheel during 9/11 and his entire presidency would be shaped by having to respond to Islamic aggression and growing terror threats, instigating the longest war America has ever fought.

Barack Obama came to office with an agenda to remold America into a big government type of pseudo-socialist nation maintaining central control over public and private life

He outspent every president who came before him combined and doubled the National Debt.

Then something happened that was unprecedented in modern American politics.

All the presidents heretofore named were professional politicians with many years prior experience along with the unavoidable baggage that comes along with it. Enemies, allies, favors owed, favors due, party cronyism, major donors with major influence and a list of do and don’t “suggestions” and heavy pressure about who to appoint to cabinet posts and the important administration jobs.

These practices had become institutionalized within the beltway and the real power was concentrated in the hands of a relatively few people, the ones who had access to the ear of the most powerful man in the world.

Hoover was Secretary of Commerce under presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge.

Roosevelt was a former Governor of New York.

Truman was a U.S. Senator from the state of Missouri and Vice President under FDR.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was career military man and Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers during World War II.

John F. Kennedy was a U.S. Senator from the state of Massachusetts

Lyndon Johnson was Speaker of the House of Representatives and Vice President under Kennedy.

Richard Nixon was a U.S. Senator from the State of California and Vice President under Eisenhower.

Gerald Ford was a four-term Republican Congress and House Minority Leader.

Jimmy Carter was Governor of Georgia.

Ronald Reagan was Governor of California.

George H.W. Bush was a U.S. Congressman, Director of the CIA and Vice President under Reagan.

Bill Clinton was Governor of Arkansas.

George W. Bush was Governor of Texas.

Barack Obama was a U.S. Senator from Illinois.

Donald J. Trump was a businessman, a real estate mogul, a casino owner and host of a hit television show who came to office without even one day of serving in a government office, elected or otherwise.

He was elected by carrying several states the Democrats had owned for decades and according to most of the vaunted polls was supposed to lose to Hillary Clinton, a fact that was smugly touted by all network news people up until about 10 PM CST on election night.

He came to office without the traditional ties that bind, the usual obligations to the good old boys networks in Washington and an air of independence that absolutely horrified the deep state, shadow government or whatever nom de plume you choose to describe the power players and influence peddlers who have pulled strings in our federal government since the days when the president arrived at their inauguration in a horse and carriage.

So is there any wonder that the political patch is in such turmoil, that the Democrats go from one charge to another trying in vain and in frustration to get something to stick?

If Trump is successful in overcoming this all-out frontal assault, and I say all out because it is not just the opposing party he is fighting against. It’s the media, the entrenched business interests, the powerful lobbying firms, the unseen power brokers and multi-million caliber donors, and even members of his own party.

If he is victorious to the point of winning in 2020 and having coattails broad enough to carry majorities of the House and Senate, a goodly portion of the house of cards in Washington will begin to topple.

Because regardless of a hostile media, powerful enemies in high places, both in government and in private life, regardless of all the best efforts of the unseen forces of the power players, nobody can fight the will of the American people and the wrath of a public that discovers it has been bilked and lied to.

“Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” - John 8:32 New Testament, the Word of God.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops our police and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

— Charlie Daniels

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