Perhaps nowhere is our lack of saltiness in the Christian Right better displayed than in the support of local Christian and conservative leaders for Donald Trump. Fundamental to conservatism and Christianity is the conserving of our right to property and to trade freely with our neighbor.
Christ does not have one ethic for you and I and another for government.
Perhaps the only thing Trump promises consistently is international trade restrictions. He would impose a 45 percent tariff on Chinese imports. Remember the impact of Smoot-Hawley on the Great Depression?
Richard Maybury challenges us to ask our friends voting for Trump if playing the trade game is a good idea, why not launch one in the U.S. and penalize Californians who sell to Nevadans and vice-versa? Why not double down and fine San Diegans that sell to residents of Orange County? We can take this further. How about regulating trade between the residents of El Cajon and La Mesa?
To paraphrase Chodorov, when government ceases to uphold our self-evident truths and uses force to violate our inalienable and God given freedom it ceases to be a government any more than a merchant seaman turning to piracy can be called a merchant seaman.
On the Trump website we read:
“The Trump Plan Will Achieve The Following Goals: Bring China to the bargaining table by immediately declaring it a currency manipulator.”
What does he think the Fed does around the corner in Manhattan? Ever heard the term “Quantitative Easing”? Will address “log in my eye” and Matthew 7 in another post.
Hoping for a little more saltiness from my brothers and sisters. “The laws of nature and Nature’s God” operate without regard to our manipulations of our neighbor and it isn’t very loving.
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Eric Andersen is a member of the Central Committee of the San Diego County Republican Party and current Chair and Co-Founder of the Republican Liberty Caucus of San Diego County. He is a Co-Founder of im2moro.com, former Rock Church Citizen of the Year and former Caucus Chair for the 71st Assembly District.