What Would Jesus Say?
Quote of the day, courtesy of Matthew 23:23: “Woe to you . . . hypocrites! You have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.”
I thought it was fake news. Buried beneath stories about tariffs, Ukraine, colleges, the stock market, and the Pope was this:
Last week, the Donald J. Trump Administration deported a four-year-old U.S. citizen battling an aggressive stage-4 cancer. Lacking medical care, death looms. No due process. No lawyers. Just dump a dying child on a plane. Cruelty that, somehow, will make America great again.
But . . . What would Jesus say?
I’m not a person of faith. Raised Catholic, I defected by age 15. But I do struggle with my agnosticism. I read the Bible, admire the teachings of Jesus, and respect those who live their faith.
Like many of you, I have loved ones who are devout Christians and. . . voted for Trump. I can’t wrap my head around this. Someone who follows the teachings of Jesus votes for a man who has decimated the Ten Commandments. We’d need scientific notation to track his violations of Commandments I, II, IV, V, VII, VIII, IX, and X. With no humility or remorse.
While I’m no Joe Biden fan, he is a man of faith. Yet consider what happened in the 2024 election. America’s Christians were decisive in electing a man who defiles the teachings of Jesus. Return to the White House he worst possible role model for America’s children.
And during a week when the President deported a cancer-stricken four-year-old U.S. citizen, what were Democrats talking about? The sketchy Kilmer Garcia. Harvard. The proposed Republican FY2026 budget. And the ever-reliable DNC made things worse, as Vice-Chair David Hogg declared war on older Democratic incumbents — grabbing headlines, fueling the image of a chaotic party.
Meanwhile, DNC Chair Ken Martin rolled out his fifty-state strategy. Give $17,500 per month to blue states and $22,500 to red states. Hawai’i and Pennsylvania get the same amount. Ditto Texas and West Virginia. Rhode Island and New York. Florida and Idaho. Enough to cover a few staff members, likely padding the salaries of current ineffective leaders. A time that calls for prioritizing the states that will decide future election outcomes. Ensure that key states have compelling leadership. Invest in voter-mobilization infrastructure. Gain expertise in non-traditional vehicles that influence so many voters.
To use a World War II analogy, Ken Martin is sending leaderless platoons to 50 beaches, not well-managed brigades to the five beaches that matter — with David Hogg creating chaos about who should captain these doomed-to-fail amphibious landing vehicles. Priorities that Hitler would welcome.
The Democratic Party’s best foot forward is Donald Trump – a daily font of cruelty, ignorance, and incompetence. Biden won in 2020 solely because Trump was onstage every day, alienating millions. Now, déjà vu all over again. A President who is alienating millions — the one silver lining to our current clusterfuck.
We function in a democracy. We won’t win elections if we’re seen as defending open borders, elite colleges, and a broken system. Today, millions of people of faith — voters we need — view Democrats as Godless baby-killers. We need to reach these voters — viscerally and personally. Put them in the shoes of a family with a deported cancer-stricken four-year-old. Whatever it takes — ads, billboards, Christian radio networks, fliers under windshield wipers of cars at Sunday church services. Let them know we stand for an America that, while secular, cares about what Jesus would think. As should they.
Nervously,
Ted