The Day the Music Died

Barring nothing short of an open revolt by delegates at the convention which would entail their breaking state rules binding them to vote for a certain candidate on the first ballot, Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee. And barring some highly unlikely sort of third-party upset scenario, either Hilary Clinton or Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States. My opinion is that Trump doesn’t stand a chance in the general election.

With so much on the line in the next 4 years, including the nomination of at least one Supreme Court justice (probably 2), I found myself listening deeply to the words of Don McLean. It is certainly a sad day. The American dream has died.

In the general election neither of the two candidates of the major parties will be pro-life advocates for unborn children, neither will respect the holy institution of marriage, neither will defend the free market as the best way to distribute wealth in a nation, neither will put a significant dent in our national debt and will likely continue its unsustainable growth, and neither will defend America’s foreign policy interests.  Trump’s best foreign policy speech to date is interwoven with his protectionist economic policy which will lead to a trade war just like the Smoot-Hawlye Act of 1930 and subsequently an economic depression. If you think we’re still in uneasy times, just want to the bread lines come back. Both candidates will expand the size and scope of government, both will continue to use the federal government to stomp on our civil liberties, and both will send us another generation down the path toward national death. Indeed, today is the day the music has died.

“Oh, and there we were all in one place
A generation lost in space
With no time left to start again
So come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
‘Cause fire is the devil’s only friend

Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
No angel born in Hell
Could break that Satan’s spell

And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite
I saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died.”

It’s times like this that we need to be reminded that no matter the circumstances, Jesus is our King. If either of the two major party candidates win the White House and we don’t get what we want politically, we need to keep up our work for Christ’s kingdom. That’s where we’ll see people change, when we go and love our neighbor.