But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:7 ESV)
Until Jesus returns and establishes His Kingdom on Earth, in a sense we are all exiles here living in imperfect nations (1 Peter 2:11). While our deeper and higher goal is working and praying for God’s Kingdom to come, in the meantime it is right and good for us to also seek the welfare of the land we live in. That is what I am trying to do in my own small way with this blog post.
I am Planning to Vote Republican
There are many reasons that I am praying and voting for the Republican Party to win the 2020 election. At this time I intend to vote straight Republican, which for me includes voting for Donald Trump and Mike Pence to continue serving as President and Vice President, voting for Thom Tillis to continue representing North Carolina in the US Senate, and voting for Dan Forrest to become Governor of North Carolina. In this blog post I will share about one broad reason that I am voting and praying for Republicans to do well in this election.
In general, the Democratic Party wants to move the US in the direction of more socialism. Some very influential voices in the Democratic Party are openly in favor of socialism, and the Democrats in general lean that way.
What is Socialism?
In a broad sense, socialism is a form of government that puts government in charge of more resources and gives government greater control in order to solve various problems in our society and attempt to improve the living conditions in a nation. All governments do this to some extent. However, with socialism the portion of a nation’s resources controlled by government and the amount of control and authority they have over many spheres of life is vastly greater than with the type of government the US has had throughout our history up to now. I don’t see socialism as an all or nothing proposition. Giving government some amount of resources (mainly through taxation) and some amount of power to address problems is a good thing. However, I believe the US has already gone too far in the direction of socialism. The increased socialism that Democrats would bring would likely cause harm to our society including our poorest members and our children.
It must be remembered that socialism is based on force, or at least the threat of force. The government collects resources either by taxation, by taking control of industries and areas of life through increased regulation, and in some cases even by seizing property and directly taking over control of some industries. None of these ways of the government gaining resources are voluntary. If you don’t pay your taxes you will be fined, and if you still don’t pay, the government can put you in prison and seize your property, and if you attempt to resist being put in prison or having your property seized, you will find out that socialism depends on force. Men with guns will show up. The same will happen if you persist in resisting any government regulations. Socialism may begin with a smiling face and friendly voices, but it does not end that way. That’s why many of the most socialist states in history have also been known as police states (examples include Cuba, Venezuela, China, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union and former eastern bloc nations).
Problems with More Socialism
I believe that it is appropriate for government to collect taxes for some purposes like maintaining a police force to protect us from criminals and a military to protect us from hostile nations and terrorists. I also support the use of taxes to build infrastructure such as highways. These are among the most clear cut proper uses of government (which does depend on forced taxation). But I believe that socialism goes much too far in terms of how much of our resources are controlled by the government and how much power the government has. More government control of resources and more regulations means more of our lives are controlled by government force or threat of force at the end of the day. One of the most successful parts of the American political experiment has been seeking to have limited government. Socialism moves back towards tyranny.
History has proven that a system with more individual freedom and control of resources and limited government has produced more prosperity and wellbeing. That is why throughout modern history people from socialist nations have often sought to escape and flee to nations with less socialism and more freedom. Socialist nations have resorted to building walls and using guns to keep their own people from fleeing. Socialism will hurt our economy and when the economy is weak, the poor suffer most. Socialism hurts the poor.
Our government already has a massive amount of debt. The Democratic agenda is likely to increase our debt much more quickly than the Republican agenda. When nations add more and more debt, there is a predictable outcome. It has happened around the world repeatedly. Eventually the only way out is massive inflation. Not 10% or 20%, but 100% or 200% or more. Because the debt is dollar based (in the US), inflation will eventually increase the number of dollars in the economy and get us out of debt. But in the process, it ruins the life savings of many and it devastates the poor. The government survives. Everyone else loses. I don’t know when this will happen to the US. But it will likely happen sooner and be more severe if the Democrats gain power and pass some of their outrageously expensive agenda even as socialism stymies the economy. If we don’t pay for the debt, our children and grandchildren will. Socialism hurts our children and grandchildren.
Socialism gives government more and more influence over more and more areas of our lives. In general, the same people who are in favor of more socialism are most opposed to godly values and Christian truth. The same people who want more and more government control, also support the immoral LGBTQ agenda, killing unborn babies, and teaching our children that natural forces without a Creator should get the credit for the universe we live in and the life that fills our planet. This means more socialism will in practice result in government power being used to promote immorality and suppress truth and persecute Christians.
The government does have an important role to play in some amount of regulation and policing of industry, health care, and many other parts of our lives. However, in socialism, the government itself becomes increasingly responsible and in control of these areas. Then government has to police itself. While some amount of self-policing works, in general it is more difficult for any organization to police itself. Thus, in more socialist governments there tends to be greater corruption. Power is more widely and easily abused in a socialist system.
All these issues are not merely theory. Look at the most socialist nations throughout the world today and in the last century. They have been miserable places to live where secret police and torture of political opponents was common, poverty was widespread, and there was intense hostility to religion and especially to Christianity. Do I think most Democrats want a nation like that? No, but I think their policies would move us in that direction.
The severe problems associated with moving in the direction of more socialism are one of the many reasons that I am praying and voting for the Republicans to win the 2020 election.
Why am I writing about this?
The election and politics are not the most important things I write about. Most of my blog posts are more directly about biblical truth, God, and Christian faith (see some examples below). God’s Kingdom will come whether the US does well or sinks further into darkness. I spend more time praying for revival and renewal and the advance of the gospel and for Christians to grow in Christ than I do praying for our government. But we don’t have to choose. We can (and should!) pray for all of those things: for our churches and families and private struggles as well as for the election and our government. The Apostle Paul did not only write about the most important things (like salvation through faith in Christ). He also wrote about lesser issues like how to decide whether or not to eat meat in a given social situation. God cares about all areas of our lives.
We in the US live in a democracy, and so to some extent every one of us IS the government. We all have a role to play. Even in dictatorships, Christians are called to pray for good government (1 Timothy 2:1-2). In a democracy, in addition to praying (most important!) we can and should also vote. And some of us should use our ability to write and speak to influence others to vote in ways that we believe will most bless our nation. I have been encouraged by the examples of others to do this (like this excellent article written by Wayne Grudem: Letter to an Anti-Trump Christian Friend). There are other ways we can be involved too, but I am focusing on what I can do. May God guide each of you and may He graciously bless our nation with good government. If you find this post helpful, please prayerfully consider sharing it with others.
Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .
Some Related Blog Posts
A previous blog post about socialism that overlaps somewhat with this one, but frames the issue differently:
Bernie Sanders vs. John the Baptist
A post from 2016 explaining why I voted for Trump then. The situation in 2020 is similar except that (imho) Trump has not acted as badly as I thought he might and he has proven to be faithful to an overall conservative agenda. Thus, I feel much better and less hesitant about voting for Trump in 2020:
To Vote (for Trump) or Not to Vote (for Trump) that is the Question
A post about the problem of the national debt:
Some of My Blog Posts about Other Things
The Three Ways Jesus Saves Us from our Sins
How viruses strengthen the scientific case for a Creator
How the Smallest Cells Give BIG Evidence for God
Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
What does Paul Mean by a “Spiritual Body”?
A Model for Intercessory Prayer
Practical Advice for Battles with Sin and Temptation
What’s so Great about the Great Commission?
Do we Kneel and Bow Down Enough?
The Book of Revelation is Practical and Applicable
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