One Evangelicals Road to Trump

Abigail and Dolley readers if you are an American, no doubt you have been drawn into the Presidential Primary Season, whether you wanted to or not!  Long term Abigail and Dolley readers will recall a time when this was a political blog.  Even the name, Abigail and Dolley, is political.  My frustration and rejection of Bush Republicanism and Obama Socialism was the impetus for creating this space.  A search of early posts reveals a feisty Tea Party Patriot but also a love of Jesus and stong Christian faith.  Thus, these are my positions and credentials.

The last political post I recall doing was in the dark days after the 2012 Presidential election, there might be others, but not many.  I gave up on politics, I gave up on trying to influence others for a political party or candidate, and decided to pour my passion into Christ.  If I am going to try to persuade others, it is going to be for Jesus.  I pray that I have been faithful to that calling.

Economically and professionally, my life since the 2008 crash has been a whirlwind.  On paper, I'm a job hopper.  In reality, I've just been trying to find a place to settle down, do a good job for my clients, and earn a decent living.  Around 2006, I stopped fitting into corporate America.  I never bought in to this Six Sigma "process map" culture, I actually wanted to accomplish something and not attend endless meetings and conference calls.  I balked at fish bone analysis, reverse process mapping, and special B-SQUAT teams.  I rolled my eyes at the "consultants" who did not have a clue about what it took to be successful in my business.  I got in trouble for criticizing beautiful power point presentations that did not say anything or address issues.  I made enemies for asking hard questions.  Twice, I was aggressively recruited to be a "new type of manager" only to be fired from both organizations because they really wanted their same old manager.  I spoke up and because I am not a man, it did not work out so well for me.

Something cool happened to me six months ago, I moved from Wall Street to Main Street.  It was amazing; to work in an environment that was void of idiocy, endless meetings, KPI's and reports, and restrictions to getting the job done.  I can now do in a day what used to take me three weeks to accomplish.  My stress level is down, my clients are so happy, and I go to work everyday eager and intellectually stimulated.  We have a unique objective, "Keep the clients happy and make money."  What a revolutionary concept!

With this backdrop, I started listening to speeches by GOP candidates.  It is inevitable, I don't live under a rock.  My kid and his friends started talking about Trump.  I rolled my eyes.  I liked Rick Perry - I thought he'd gotten a bad rap in 2012.  I also liked Bobby Jindal - he's been a great governor.  Scott Walker - what a great turn around in Wisconsin!  I was interested in Mike Pence from Indiana but he never threw his hat in the ring.  I looked at my 2012 candidate Newt Gingrich and wondered if he'd run.  Ben Carson was intriguing.  I tend to think Governors make good Presidents, Senators bore me.  The field was enormous - 17 candidates.   Trump?  No way.  I was savvy enough to realize he wasn't my kind of conservative.

Then I started listening to speeches and I'd cringe at the Senators, you see they sounded like these corporate guys with their process maps, KPI's, and endless meetings.  I'd get queasy because these types don't get anything done.  They take over successful companies, run the producers off and then ruin everything they touch.  These guys are not game changers, they are the creators of the problem.

A pivotal moment for me was watching Jerry Falwell Jr.'s endorsement speech of Donald Trump.  This endorsement gave me the motivation to take another look.  What I found was a man who had grown and evolved.  I too had changed my opinions about things in the last 20 years.  I admit as a young woman, I voted for Bill Clinton, twice.  At one point, I was pro-choice.  I was a nominal Christian.  I have a bit of a sordid past, there are many things I am not proud of.  Do these things disqualify me from being who I am now or is that just the road I took?  Do I not have any credibility because I haven't been a perfect conservative and Christian?  The God I serve changes people.

I want somebody that can make things happen, not just run reports and manage the optics.  This country is going the way of Rome and if the Lord tarries, I'd like my teenage son to have a shot at the American Dream.  No other candidate gives us that chance, none.

As for the abuse Trump voters incur?  Well, we just shake it off.  I read memes and headlines that distort and misrepresent, he can be sarcastic and joke around, so it is easy to distort!  We're accused of not being led by the Spirit, not voting for the most Christian guy, not being informed, engaged, or rational.  I've seen memes of Trump as the devil.  Frankly, I'm a bit sick of it.

Well, like Jerry Falwell, Jr. I have a Savior, we need a CEO.  I'm not voting for a Sunday School Teacher, I am voting for the President and we need a revolutionary one.  Apparently, I'm not alone although sometimes on social media it feels like it!