Townhall Review | Commentaries

In response to the appropriate, and precisely targeted drone strike against Iran’s terror chieftain Qasem Soleimani, the former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick unleashed a singularly loathsome tweet. “There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism,” the self-styled human rights activist declared.

Apologists for Kaepernick defended his dishonor to the national anthem as an example of patriotic dissent but his latest eruption exposes him as an America-hating fool. This tweet itself is racist.

General Soleimani was directly responsible for the deaths of at least 600 US troops—including black and brown soldiers, of course. Killing General Suleimani while he perfected plans to kill more Americans was hardly a demonstration of “imperialism” but rather an act of self-defense that bears no connection to Kaepernick’s race-based screed.

If the Nike company and other corporate sponsors continue to support Kaepernick’s hateful extremism then sane consumers should seek alternate sources for over-priced footwear.

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New York Times columnist David Brooks wants Democrats to drop their impeachment gambit.

His colleague Bret Stephens wants Democratic presidential candidates to pare down their essentially socialist proposals that would Venezuela-ize the American economy.

And the brothers Emanuel—my former mayor, Rahm and Ari—don’t think it’s a good idea to tell 150 million Americans that even if they like their private health insurance they don’t get to keep it.

And what’s the response?

Elizabeth Warren continues to push her complete set of Marxist fantasies.

Joe Biden calls for fossil fuel company executives—yes—to be imprisoned.

And Pete Buttigieg wants to decriminalize all illegal drugs in the face of the opioid crisis.

As we enter the election year, Democrats are divided into two camps.

One wants to defeat Trump at the ballot box.

The other just wants to exact vengeance on Trump voters.

All the candidates to this point are in the “vengeance” camp.

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The new year brings new questions about the Democratic Party and its impeachment obsession. After urgent demands for Trump’s immediate removal, Democrats suddenly slowed down the impeachment process—delaying a Senate trial and hoping to stretch out that proceeding to the beginning of 2020’s primary season.

The Dems mean to focus relentlessly on Trump’s alleged unfitness for office, to keep attention away from their own radical agenda. They know public opinion may be closely divided on the president himself, but big majorities oppose such Democratic priorities as outlawing private health insurance, racial reparations for slavery, tax hikes, open borders, canceled college debt, and the job-killing Green New Deal.

The Democrats know that if they make the election a referendum on Trump’s polarizing personality they could possibly win. But: a pitch for votes based on their stridently progressive platform would lose in a landslide.

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Like a pristine new calendar, the Year 2020 begins without a blemish, but all too soon it will be recorded as history. We know this much: 2020 will bring a national election to the United States, and the race for president will be the main story of the year. By the end of 2020, we will know a very great deal about the political future of the United States. We already know how much is at stake.

The year will bring achievements and set-backs, storms and earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars. Millions of babies will be born worldwide in 2020, and we can only imagine the world they will know decades from now. There will be weddings and funerals and holidays and ordinary days—good days and hard days.

There will be 366 days in 2020—one extra day in February. Make every day count. May 2020 bring you and yours abundant blessings and many good days.

Happy New Year from Townhall.com.

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2019 was a year marked by what did happen … and by what didn’t.

The year did begin with a massive budget showdown and a government shutdown. It didn’t end that way, and instead Republicans and Democrats joined together in a massive increase in federal spending. It was a year that saw a 16-year-old Swedish climate activist declare herself a child and demand that world leaders and the United Nations give her a platform. They did.

It was the year that the one of the most historic symbols of Western civilization, Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral, did burn. But, it didn’t fall.

It was the year that something like 27 Democrats did start running for their party’s 2020 presidential nomination. Some of them will make it to the first votes in Iowa, others already didn’t.

It was the year that the House of Representatives did vote to impeach President Trump.

But when it came time to forward the articles of impeachment to the Senate for a trial, Speaker Nancy Pelosi didn’t, or at least, hasn’t.

Altogether, it was a strange year of dids and didn’ts.

In any event, it is now history.

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You … shall not … pass!

Where were you 18 years ago when the greatest trilogy in cinematic history debuted?

In December 2001, “The Fellowship of the Ring” hit theaters. It was an epochal event, for the Lord of the Rings trilogy made nearly 3 billion dollars worldwide.

The films became a genuine cultural phenomenon for many reasons: the story is exhilarating, the conflict between good and evil is stark, and the movies are beautifully orchestrated. This was far from a guaranteed outcome, though: Oxford don J. R. R. Tolkien labored over the trilogy for years, facing frustrations, creative droughts, and self-doubts.

But Tolkien prevailed and Peter Jackson picked up the torch. We should too. December is a great time for fathers and mothers to read the books with their children.

The films are right: goodness is real.

Home is precious.

And: Evil will not win in the end.

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It’s not something that gets a lot of attention from the media, but the regulatory reforms undertaken by the Trump Administration have been critical to keeping the American economy strong.  President Trump has led efforts to roll back red tape by cutting over 8 regulations for every new one that’s been put in place.  This action alone will save American households an estimated $3,100 each year.

Federal bureaucracies have too often abused their power to impose unreasonable burdens on Americans.  In 2014, for example, the EPA wanted to impose $20 million in fines on a family that built an environmentally-friendly pond for their horses.  President Trump is bringing more transparency and accountability where it’s badly needed.

Now, the Trump Administration is working with states and local governments to cut regulations and costs and harmonize regulations at different levels of government.  This will lead to even more cost savings and a stronger economy for the American people.

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‘Tis the season for Christmas carols, and one of the most beautiful of our carols asks the most important question of all: “What child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?” Christmas demands an answer to that question.

Even with all the fanfare and frantic activity of the season, that question remains. Even though commercialism and secularism and political correctness try to push the question aside, the question still stands. In the stillness of a winter’s night, the question rings out loudly and insistently – who is this child?

You know the carol’s answer: “This, this is Christ the king, whom shepherd’s guard and angels sing.” “Joy! Joy! For Christ is born. The babe, the son of Mary!” That is the true answer to the question – the baby is Christ the King. May you know the full joy of Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

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After more than a quarter-century of occasionally attempting to help direct traffic at the intersection of faith and politics, I have to admit: I am bewildered by Christianity Today editor Mark Galli’s column last week, wherein he called for the impeachment of President Trump.

Galli—on behalf of CT—has done exactly what has preceded every schism in every congregation ever: Take an absolutist stand on a radically divisive issue.

Why in the world would anyone seek an absolutist political opinion from a website about evangelical faith?

Most people aren’t looking to CT for direct advice on politics—and they’ll steer clear now of yet another politicized platform.

It’s laughable to say that there’s a clear, one-sided “Christian” appraisal of the case for or against the president.

In a democratic republic, the people decide.

When they do, they’ll end up giving the presidency back to Trump or to his opponent for reasons wholly unrelated to Christianity Today’s view on the question.

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My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

Nearly two millennia ago, a young woman said these words. Mary had just heard the news that she would bear the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Christians all over the world celebrate the incarnation, the true reason for Christmas.

One truth of Christmas that we might miss amidst all else going on: truly, there is no more powerful affirmation in history of God's design for women than the incarnation.

Our culture tells us it’s “pro-woman” but wars against women and the womb. In Scripture, Jesus is born of a woman. The Genesis curse on childbearing is overcome by God. The elegant distinctiveness of womanhood is elevated and affirmed, while the culture of death and abortion is rebuked.

Indeed: God has looked on our humble estate.

Merry Christmas.

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