Democrats are trying to portray the midterm election as a referendum on democracy -- casting themselves as the great defenders thereof.
It is beyond obvious by now: Democrats reject the outcome of any democratic election that they lose. The entire "Russia collusion" conspiracy theory consumed the Democratic Party for years -- because they reject democracy.
But there's something even more nefarious going on. When Americans use the term "democracy," we don't simply refer to the act of voting. We also mean the system of rights that protects individuals from abuse by the majority, as well as the checks and balances that stop the government from exceeding its power.
And that's where Democrats have been actively destroying democracy, as we know it, for more than a decade -- a project that accelerated under Barack Obama and has continued since then, assisted by the so-called Deep State.
The Mar-a-Lago raid is the latest example, but there are so many others. Even the January 6 Committee, ostensibly investigating an "assault on democracy," abrogated the rights of the minority and the witnesses in its partisan zeal.
The Democratic Party, like left-wing parties worldwide, cares more about the outcomes it seeks -- all related to economic redistribution -- than the process through which decisions are meant to be made (see the student loan bailout).
The Democratic Party is the single greatest threat to democracy in America today, because it rejects the founding principles of the country and is killing liberties that were once taken for granted.
So, yes, democracy is on the ballot.
This week’s portion launches the great story of Abraham, who is told to leave everything of his life behind — except his immediate family — and to leave for “the Land that I shall show you.”
There’s something interesting in the fact that Abraham is told to leave his father’s house, as if breaking away from his father’s life — but his father, in fact, began the journey, moving from Ur to Haran (in last week’s portion). His father set a positive example — why should Abraham leave him?
Some obvious answers suggest themselves — adulthood, needing to make one’s own choices, his father not going far enough, etc.
But I think there is another answer. Abraham (known for the moment as Abram) needs to establish his own household. This is not just about making one’s own choice, but really about choosing one’s own starting point. It’s starting over.
Sometimes we start over in fundamental ways even if much that surrounds us remains the same. Sometimes the journey we have to ...
The story of Noah is familiar; the details, less so.
Noah is often seen as an ambivalent figure. He was righteous -- but only for his generation. What was his deficiency?
One answer suggests itself: knowing that the world was about to be flooded, he built an Ark for the animals and for his own family -- but did not try to save anyone else or to convince them to repent and change their ways (the prophet Jonah, later, would share that reluctance).
Abraham, later, would set himself apart by arguing with God -- with the Lord Himself! -- against the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, saying that they should be saved if there were enough righteous people to be found (there were not).
Still, Noah was good enough -- and sometimes, that really is sufficient to save the world. We don't need heroes every time -- just ordinary decency.
Hi all -- as I noted last month, I'm going to be closing down my Locals page, at least for tips and subscriptions -- I may keep the page up and the posts as well, but I'm no longer going to be accepting any kind of payment.
Look for cancelation in the very near future. Thank you for your support!
