Christianity in the age of Trump - Part 2 – the policy case
Bottom Line: While addressing why Christians largely supported President Trump in 2016 and generally continue to do so, I illustrated the economic case with record high earnings, and a lower tax burden, leading to record high charitable contributions. Now, about policy that directly impacts Christianity.
Under the Trump administration the State Department has created a watch list of countries that limit religious liberty. Countries on that list are tasked with progress towards liberty or are faced with sanctions and limited foreign aid. President Trump has fought federal funding of abortions, including a recently successful legal effort to reallocate $34 million away from Planned Parenthood and having them forfeit another $60 million in Title X money after implementing a rule that wouldn’t allow Title X money for organizations that perform abortions. It’s a specific example that speaks to a larger point. He’s not just paying rhetorical homage to religious considerations with public policy and public money. He fights for the them. Even stories like these that often don’t make the news and are somewhat small in scope. I could laundry list policies changes like the Title X rule that address concerns of many Christians, but the bigger point is where he won that case. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court, which until recent months had been the hardest left federal court in the country, ruled in favor of the Trump administration. And that takes me to the most instructive point of all. The courts.
From Supreme Court Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh to the other 162 federal judges he’s had confirmed, he’s reshaping courts across the country at a record pace. Well after his Presidency has passed, the impact of constitutionalists on the bench will live on. Judicial activism has been at the epicenter of undermining religious rights. From court ordered taxpayer money for abortions, to Christian run businesses being forced to violate their faith or shutter (or both), to the Catholic church being forced to pay for healthcare that violates the tenants of the religion. You name it, it’s happened in recent years. Putting an end to the systematic use of activists and courts to repress Christians who dare practice their faith is perhaps the paramount reason most Christians have and will continue to support President Trump.
As is often the case with politicians, many get wrapped up into the messenger rather than the policy. President Obama was an eloquent messenger with policy that didn’t deliver on his eloquent promises. President Trump is an in-eloquent messenger with policy that delivers on his promises. If you spent more time on substance rather than personality, you’d understand why someone as clearly flawed as he is, has been remarkable for Christians in addition to all who value religious liberty.