The way I see it, our existence is an idea in God's mind. Along with every plant, animal, planet, star, etc. That's what we are before, during, and after this lifetime. Although we are individual people, we are nevertheless ideas in the mind of God.

FAITH-IN-HIM said:

I am not a legal expert, I will defer to the Supreme Court to determine whether it is constitutional for the National Guard or Marines to suppress protestors and address violence on the streets of America.

Even if the Supreme Court determines that it is constitutional for the President to deploy the National Guard when local governments hesitate to address unrest in a U.S. city, Americans should carefully evaluate whether granting such authority to the federal executive branch aligns with our democratic principles. More significantly, we must consider whether we wish to see America become a nation where armed soldiers are empowered to confront and detain citizens, as occurs in countries like Iran or Pakistan or China where the executive branch uses military force to suppress instability.

Click to expand...

The reality on the ground is that the federalized National Guard is not necessary to be deployed into these cities (the situation with DC is a bit different because it's the federal district). This foo-foo about "war ravaged cities" is just absurd propaganda. Anyone who remembers the real situations in the past that called for deployment of the National Guard would know that. They wouldn't have to flog visuals from months ago, they would have streets aflame today if National Guard deployment was necessary today.

The Administration is pushing for a "just in case" permanent deployment of the National Guard into blue cities, and that is a critical problem. It's not at all clear this Supreme Court would not prevent it. But the real question would be just in case of what, exactly?

That's the question the military leadership is asking itself right now.

I attended a Presbyterian church in college upon encountering a closed cliquish group at my then-denomination's campus fellowship. The Presbyterian church sat on the edge of campus. It was a handful of us poor, motley college kids, blue-haired old ladies in minks, and a parking lot full of luxury cars. Rather irreverently, we called in "Our Lady of Cadillac." We had an extravagant welcome, and the preaching was dynamic. Fond memories.

stevevw said:

Ok so US politics is deeply mixed with religion. Or the US is deeply mixed with religion. But I understand the difference with say Australia or maybe England or even Canada. Theres a long tradition of religion while there is also a strong independence which is based on the constitution of freedoms, rights and democracy.

Click to expand...

It's not quite a US issue, but rather the nature of religions that express moral sentiments. Politics is, in a sense, a public negotiation about what social values the nation will exhibit, and at the heart of the matter is what authority is legitimate. If someone is religious, that's not something that can realistically be compartmentalized. There are no part-time Christians, or Muslims, or Hindus, or secular humanists. So it is inevitable that religion and politics are going to step on each others toes, unless one is purely subjected to the other.

stevevw said:

Which are sort of transcedent truth principles we should all support and happen to align with Christian values. Even the freedom to hold alternative beliefs under freewill as a Christian must come to God freely but have the choice not to.

Click to expand...

Sounds more like Enlightenment humanism than authentic apostolic teaching to me, but there's room for debate.

stevevw said:

So even though we have different belief ideologies there are certain transcedent truth which we hold up as values or morals as the basis for society and the nation.

Click to expand...

Bound to.

stevevw said:

The problem I see is that under the right to hold different beliefs and morals it means all beliefs are welcome in the public square. The State never aligns with one belief religion or ideology over another. Yet I think this is unreal as we would not support say Sharia laws.

Click to expand...

The state certainly does align with one set of beliefs or ideology over others. Pluralism is only theoretical, in practice states reflect dominant social philosophies of their day.

stevevw said:

Nevertheless as rational and moral creatures we recognise some moral truths. The problem I see is what happens when both sides or maybe 3 or 4 ideological groups or parties both claim they are the truth. They represent the good of the nation and consitution.

Click to expand...

Which moral truths are universally recognized?

stevevw said:

Then why are more and more Jewish and Christians being targeted. Why is the rhetoric still similar to before the election against Trump. The same narratives that the opposing beliefs by TRump or Kirk supporters should be stopped and even shot down. One third of Uni students believe that violence is a legitimate means to stop others with oppsing beliefs they think are hateful.

Click to expand...

Legitimizing political violence isn't new, and its more a reaction of fear at the authoritarian rhetoric of Trump and Christian nationalists in general that is creating that response. But the evil world is going to be evil, Christianity shouldn't be reactive and defensive...Christ said to repay evil with good, to pray for those who persecute us. The Christian nationalist rhetoric seems to be nothing more than an attempt to declare divine sanction for oppressive jingoistic behavior. It is, in my mind, a form of idolatry of the state.

stevevw said:

They call KIrks, Trumps and all those who agree as hateful. So is this not cultivating a dangerous climate and thats why we are seeing an increase in violence and assassination attempts. Believe me there will be more. How many before the climate settles. How long before Jews and Christians are targets because Christian values seem to also align with what people say they hate.

Click to expand...

The peace that Christians have enjoyed in America was bound to be a temporary reprieve. When Christ calls a man, he bid him come and die.

stevevw said:

I think Christians and the church of Christ should be seperated and even insulated from the world and politics. Just go about seperately doing Christs stuff and examples and say very little. Though they also need to proclaim Christs truth and the gospel which is getting harder nowadays in the public square without being attacked. So maybe they are linked.

Click to expand...

I don't think that's realistic, nor adviseable. A man doesn't light a lamp and hide it beneath a barrel.

Citanul said:

They actually started out in the 80s, although their peak was late 80s/early 90s.

Click to expand...

That is true.

Servus said:

Isn't it more like Trump's conservative base, including those who are Christians? They blame the fearmongering over AGW on the left.

Click to expand...

So what fears exactly are they mongering? Are they realistic fears? Are they the actual fears of the left? Or is the "doomsday exaggeration and hyperbole" the product of sensationalist media?

dogs4thewin said:

but they need the help of the democrats they do not have a large enough majority to get things through on their own. If the demorats will not play ball then at best they share blame and at worst it is on them.

Click to expand...

CHOOSE

OPTION ONE
Make every budget and every increasing the debt an opportunity for blackmail. Change what has made this Senate work for centuries. The Democrats can make this happen. Eventually enough Republicans will cave.

OPTION TWO
Do what has been done for many, many decades: keep the government open (and increase the debt limit as needed) and then fight. The Republicans want to make this happen.

CONCLUSION
The Dems are in a losing position if they force the issue now. ALL they need to do is to allow a SIX-WEEK CR and then close the government if the Republicans refuse to extend the subsidues,

A New Dawn said:

Yes, and Yes.

What is Justification? Bible Meaning and Definition

Justification is the declaring of a person to be just or righteous. Being justified is a forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as...

www.biblestudytools.com

What is justification? What does it mean to be justified? | GotQuestions.org

What is justification? How can I be justified before God? Why, on the basis of Christ’s death, can God declare us to be righteous?

www.gotquestions.org

Click to expand...

Thank you for the quotes. Yes, there has been a lot of such novel theology written since the Reformers came up with it. Only peripherally related to Christianity, however

bèlla said:

Trump Is No Longer Denying Support for Project 2025: What to Know​

President Donald Trump has changed his tune on the conservative policy plan Project 2025 after actively distancing himself from it for months during his reelection campaign.

Trump announced on Thursday that he would be meeting with Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, “he of PROJECT 2025 Fame,” to decide which “Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.”

“I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

The post marks a significant shift from the President’s past disavowals of the unpopular right-wing policy blueprint, which was created by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation ahead of the 2024 election. “I have nothing to do with Project 2025. I haven’t read it. I don’t want to read it, purposely. I’m not going to read it,” Trump said in a debate last year with former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Despite Trump’s repeated insistence that he didn’t know anything about Project 2025, however, he had close ties with a number of its authors, several of whom have served in his Administrations—including Vought. And since he returned to the White House in January his second Administration has taken steps to implement a number of the proposals detailed in the over 900-page document.

Now, amid the government shutdown, Trump is moving to further fulfill Project 2025’s goals of reducing the federal workforce and extending his executive powers—and, it appears, openly embracing the plan.

Despite his criticisms of Project 2025, many of the Trump Administration’s actions since he returned to office have mirrored aspects of the blueprint. An analysis by TIME in January found that nearly two-thirds of Trump’s early executive actions reflected—in whole or in part—proposals in Project 2025.

~bella

Click to expand...

Scary. If you dive deep in Project2025 this group has declared how we are to think, believe, and when to worship, taking away liberty of conscious. God never forced this on anyone and having a government force this is getting pretty close to a similar decree like in Daniel and why it's in the prophetic book. Politics and religion needs to stay separated. On the flip side, the other party does this too- how to think, what is a moral, or not. Jesus please just come soon!

Hentenza said:

Mental exercise.

“If” Jesus came back to dwell among us humans again in the form of a man. Would He be able to have communion in your church?

Click to expand...

The purpose of communion is to remember Jesus' sacrifice by partaking in bread and wine, symbolizing his body and blood given for salvation

it's for humans to remember His great sacrifice.... no reason for He himself to take communion, it's for human remembrance of Him.

Being a descendant of kings was a necessary earthly qualification for Jesus to be the Messiah, but his spiritual family is open to all who follow God's will.

Spiritual vs. biological family

• Spiritual family:
  Jesus teaches that those who do the will of God are His true spiritual family, including His brother, sister, and mother. This new familial bond is based on faith and obedience, not blood.
  
  
• Biological family:
  Jesus did not disown his earthly family. Instead, he further defined family ... inclusive of all who follow God.
• 
  
  
• • Jesus's Jewish lineage from the tribe of Judah was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, such as those in Genesis and Isaiah.
  • While Jesus was Jewish, his mission was for all people, not just Jews.
    
    
  • He came to fulfill the Old Testament law and to make it possible for both Jews and Gentiles to have a relationship with God through faith in him.
    
    
  • By being a Jew, Jesus provided a way for Gentiles to be "grafted into" God's covenant through faith in him, demonstrating that salvation was not limited to one ethnic group.
  
  

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media

Fired Justice Department lawyer says he refused to lie in the Abrego Garcia case


The “Presumption of Regularity” in Trump Administration Litigation

Servus said:

Is it a realistic practical workable model? There is a Healthcare Marketplace. But I don't know how it compares to auto and home insurance along those lines.

Click to expand...

I would prefer commercial insurance be completely optional with everyone on Medicare. Medicare is already a proven model that can be configured for universal coverage.

My employer recently changed insurance coverage, all my providers went out of network with it and less coverage. My option is to accept and adapt to what is now offered now or look for a new employer and hope their coverage offered is better. I shouldn’t need to consider changing jobs because of healthcare coverage. Employer and healthcare coverage should be two unrelated decisions.

Bro.T said:

When one comes to the word of God we find that the blind leads the blind, because most people do not take the time and read for themselves. Jesus say in Luke 6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? Now understand that this is a spiritual and a physical saying, but in this case I’m seeing the spiritual side of this blind side of man. Paul say in 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Hardly know one, once to admit that they follow Satan, but there’s no middle ground in the case, either you follow God (Jesus) or Satan. It’s written in Revelation 12: 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Once a person realize they have been deceive that’s when the true change can come in. A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ and our adjective is to be Christ like. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (1 Peter 2: 21, 22)

Jesus says in Luke: 31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. See sin is what got us these two death in the first place. Let’s take a look at the biblical definition of sin. 1John 3:4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Now we have just read the biblical definition of sin, the transgression (breaking) of the law (commandments.)

So when you sin, you transgress the law, what law? The Commandments brother and Sisters. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. (2 John 1: 6,8,9)

So if you think because Jesus die for our sins, and you don’t have to keep the law (Commandments) then you are sinning, and Paul told us in Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We all have to do the same thing to get in the kingdom of God, and one of those things is keeping the Commandments. A man asked Jesus this very question, "...What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?", and Jesus replied, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:16-19). This was a direct answer to a direct question, which all of us will do well to take heed to. Anybody can claim to have faith, but actions speak louder than words. Faith and works go together and you can't have one without the other. "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12).

Jesus had a custom, and his custom was to keep the Sabbath day on the seventh day of the week, but in our day we keep Sunday, and for some reason its not written in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, to attend Church service on the first day of the week. But let's go into Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Click to expand...

How does that verse make you feel? I'm guessing you might be looking for a way to wiggle out of it.

Servus said:

Such as what other medications and what conditions?

Click to expand...

Accutane, use for the treatment of acne, is the first one that comes to mind because my doctor wanted to put me on it as a teen (my sister did take it for several years), and the side effects were pretty bad - bad enough that I decided I'd rather deal with the acne than risk them.

The various ADHD drugs were/are also pretty nasty.

I'm sure there are plenty more, but those are some that I have personal/family experience with.

Abraham1st said:

This is to keep His commandment and also to receive the Holy Spirit as PROVEN BELOW, we see no example in the new testament of anyone receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit by keeping of commandments as you sadly insist without one credible back up SO FAR.

Click to expand...

I believe the popular teaching that God doesn't give His Spirit to those who yield themselves to Him in obedience to His Judgments and Commandments, is one of many false teachings. I would like to share the reason for this understanding in the hope that you might also consider "ALL" that is written on the topic. Starting with the witness of the very first Church of God under God's Prophesied New Priest.

Acts 5: 28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, "whom God hath given" to them "that obey him".

This was confirmed by the Scriptural account of the first Church of God under authority of His Prophesied Priest, "After the Order of Melchizedek". These Faithful men, who had "Yielded themselves" to God, and their bodies as instruments of Righteousness unto God, (God's Righteousness of course) had observed the Feast of Unleavened bread, and had counted the Sabbaths correctly in order to be gathered on Pentecost, according to the Commandment of God. And these men most certainly received the Holy Spirit as Peter Witnessed. While the mainstream preachers of their time, who professed to know God, but who were teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, and not God, received not the Holy Spirit. It is confirmed again in Luke 1&2 where Zacharias, a faithful man who had "yielded himself" in obedience to God's Commandments, was blessed with the Spirit of God and therefore Knew Jesus, and exhibited the Faith of Jesus, even before HE was born. While the mainstream preachers of that time, with all their religious schools and great theological minds, full well rejected the Commandments of God, and didn't know the Christ, even after HE raised men from the dead right in front of them.

Caleb, Zacharias, Simeon and Anna, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego and others, all received God's Spirit, just as Abraham did, "Because" they believed in God enough to become a "Doer" of His Commandments, not hearers only. As it is written, even satan knows Jesus is the Christ. But these men, who Honored God with more than their lips, were the blessed ones.

Paul taught this over and over.

Rom. 2: 13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

But the mainstream preachers of this world never taught obedience to God, and still don't. They have their own righteousness, their own Judgments, their own high days and sabbaths. Both Jesus and Paul fought against and exposed the "leaven" promoted by the religions of the world of their times, just as I battle against the influences of the philosophies and traditions of men promoted by this world's religions in the world God placed me in. This battle can be seen in all of Paul's Epistles, in my view.

5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart "treasurest up unto thyself" wrath against the day of wrath and revelation "of the righteous judgment of God";

6 Who will render to every man "according to his deeds":

7 "To them" who by "patient continuance in well doing" seek for" glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

8 "But unto them" that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, "but obey unrighteousness", indignation and wrath,

This is why God gave His Holy Spirit to those in Acts who turned away from the mainstream preachers of that time, who promoted their own Laws, their own high days, their own righteousness, and followed instead, the instructions of Jesus to "Live By" God's Words, and then Paul, who taught the same to both Jew and Gentile " that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance."

Once a man accepts Jesus teaching about the mainstream preachers of His Time, who had and promoted "LAW", but not God's Law, Paul's words carry a different meaning.

Phil. 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, (Of the Pharisees) "blameless".

In this worlds religions, they promote almost universally, that the Pharisees were trying to "earn Salvation" by being obedience to God's Commandments. This is probably one of the most insidious and deceitful lies promoted by the prince of this world. EVERY Word of Jesus, in which he defines the religious rulers of His Time, exposes this teaching as false. And yet this "leaven" persists and has grown though out the entire body just as Jesus warns. Consider Paul teaching in Philippians when the "Truth" about the Law of the Pharisees is accepted.

Phil. 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having "mine own righteousness", which is "of the law", (What LAW, the Commandments of men the Pharisees taught for Doctrines??) but that which is through the faith of Christ, (Who Humbled Himself in obedience to god, unto death) the righteousness which is of God by faith: (Shadrack had this Faith)

You and I have been taught since our youth, that Paul is speaking about the Laws of God here. But what does Paul himself teach about the Righteousness of the Pharisees and their "law"?

3 For they (Rebellious Jews) being "ignorant of God's righteousness", and going about to establish "their own righteousness", have "not submitted themselves" unto the righteousness of God.

Paul is saying here that he doesn't want to be found by Christ when HE returns, "having his own righteousness", which is of the Pharisees Law that he just told us he was "Zealous for". But the Righteousness which is of God, by belief in God, AKA "FAITH". That is, the Faith of Jesus, who being found in the fashion of a man, "Yielded Himself" a servant to Obey God, not the religious traditions and philosophies of man.

I hope you will consider.

I prayed too.

I'm curious when you say the service is 2.5 hours -- it's normal for the liturgy to be 1.5-1.75 hours, 2 hours tops, and that would be unusual. Are you including matins/orthros in that? I'd really recommend that, if you have a pile of kids just getting used to going to church like this, that you focus on just the liturgy until they're more acclimated. Obviously if the local priest suggests otherwise you should follow his lead, but you have to start by biting off what you can chew.

Jesus speaks of the Second Death for the sinners- they will not be in heaven

Only those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death

Rev 2:11“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’

Rev 21:8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

They are the commandment breakers, who harden their hearts and did not seek Jesus in His help forsaking their sins, they loved their sins more than their love for Jesus to seek His help in overcoming. John 3:19-21 John14:15-18 Rev14:12

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers (Breaking commandment #1 Exodus 20:3) and sexually immoral (breaking commandment #7 Exodus 20:14) and murderers (breaking commandment #6 Exodus 20:13) and idolaters (breaking commandment #2 Exodus 20:4-6), and whoever loves and practices a lie (breaking # 9 Exodus 20:16 or any of the commandments 1 John 2:4) Breaking one we break them all James 2:11-12 Exo 20:1-17 .

Mat 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Joshua and Jesus are from the same name originally, Jesus being from the short name. In the original manuscripts of the new testament it is still written the same... Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς). Translations could be consistent, but instead they have the name as Jesus for our Lord Christ and the same name as Joshua in other cases. If they are Joshua we could call the Lord by the name Joshua.

The ancient form of the name of God kept in Greek writing originally shows pronunciation very close to it being "Yahweh". It may have been, while varying a little bit, in the past, Iaooeh, or something similar, but it is not so different from this pronunciation now with YHWH.

I always thought the more apropos solution to these shutdowns would be...
At 7 days: suspend pay for congressmen and senators (and their staffers) until it gets resolved.
At 14 days: actual fines imposed on them
At 30 days: failure to reach an agreement means governors have the option to call a special election to replace them if they so choose (the same way they do when one of them vacates a seat)


As much as I dislike the "4th branch of government" (the bureaucracy), their pay getting frozen doesn't do anything to bring a swifter end to these shutdowns as it doesn't instill the right sense of urgency in the legislature.

The notion that there's a shutdown, and outlets are reporting "well, no agreement was reached, so they'll be back in 5 days to restart negotiations" is unacceptable. If there's outstanding assignments that are urgent and time sensitive at my job, I don't get to bail on Thursday and say "well, have a good long weekend, we'll pick this back up on Tuesday", it's more of a "it's gonna be a busy weekend, put on a pot of coffee".

Israel Defense Forces launched a strong response to an earlier Hamas attack that violated the ceasefire on Sunday, killing two Israeli soldiers and wounding three others.

On Sunday evening, the IDF announced that Major Yaniv Kula (26) and Staff Sgt. Itay Yavetz (21) was both killed in the attack. They both served in the Nahal Brigade’s 932nd Battalion and hailed from the city of Modi'in.

According to the investigation, which took place on Sunday morning in the city of Rafah, several terrorists emerged from a tunnel to fire RPGs at an excavator, killing two.

Continued below.

District Attorney for DeSoto County in Mississippi Matthew Barton has called for the resignation of a local school official and slammed what he sees as gender bias after Lindsey Whiteside, a former youth minister with Getwell Church in Hernando, Mississippi, was sentenced to just three years of house arrest and seven years of additional probation after she pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse.

"We, as the state of Mississippi and on behalf of the victim, requested the maximum sentence, which is 30 years, and I don't mind just saying it frankly — I'm extremely disappointed," Barton said during a press conference last Monday,calling the sentence "an absolute abomination of justice."

Court documents cited by Action News 5allege that Whiteside, now 27, knowingly had sex with an underage girl under her guardianship between May 14 and Nov. 6, 2024.

Continued below.

rjs330 said:

Hmmm... the protests are still protesting things that aren't happening, rendering them moot. And the fact that rhey are still going to be able to do them, is proof of that, so I don't know. I think I've been clear as well and whatever your claim is, is also moot.

Click to expand...

The narratives promoted by these protestors—such as claims of authoritarianism or dictatorship—may not have merit, yet millions of Americans subscribe to these perspectives. In a democracy, we do not have the privilege of disregarding public opinion based on personal beliefs. Within a democratic framework, there are two primary approaches: one can work to change public opinion or choose to align with it. Merely criticizing or dismissing public sentiment is generally considered unwise in a democratic society.

Regardless of one's position on these protesters, it is clear that millions of Americans are participating in this movement and intend to voice their dissatisfaction at the polls in thirteen months. Historical trends suggest that when public sentiment is strongly reflected, significant political shifts can occur. For instance, in 2018, a comparatively smaller protest group contributed to Democrats gaining 40 seats in the U.S. Congress. Similarly, the Tea Party movement in 2010, which was notably smaller than the current No King movement, resulted in a 60-seat shift and led to Republican control of Congress for the 2011 legislative year. In 2006, the anti-war movement—less prominent than the No King movement—also shifted Congressional power toward the Democrats. These events illustrate how changes in public opinion have influenced legislative outcomes in recent American history.

Republicans and the White House might label protesters as anti-American, as Speaker Johnson did, then highlight their policy achievements on Fox News to supporters or adjust policies to increase among some Americans who are not part of MAGA movement so there are more then 40% American vote for republican on mid-term. Ultimately, for Republicans to retain control of Congress, they will need broader support beyond their core MAGA base.