While watching the State of the Union address by Mr. Biden last night, several things stuck out to me. I’ll try to favor the more subtle things people may not have first recognized, in my remarks.

Firstly, the D.C. swamp is real, and we need to be more vocal in our rejecting the status quo. It’s not enough to simply elect leaders with an R behind their name if all they will do is kowtow to and thereby become the swamp. Kevin O’Connell, Mitch McConnell, and many other “Republicans” are all too chummy with the democrats whom they supposedly oppose. Therefore, the first few minutes of Mr. Biden’s address were consumed by Washington self-congratulating.

Secondly, Mr. Joseph Biden is supremely unfit and unwell in numerous ways, whether it be his stumbling slurred speech, the outright anger displayed at his opposition, and more concerningly his health seems to be draining from him as we watch. I don’t say these things merely to attack the man, but as the last week has shown, we need strength in a Commander in Chief. We saw the Chinese balloon floating all the way, coast to coast, across America, and a very lackluster response from the gentleman in the Oval Office. We can recognize that there are still threats in the world that require strength and fortitude. The Constitution allows for the removal of persons who are incapable of performing their duty, and this seems to be a perfect candidate.

I also want to focus on how outright divisive Biden was. I’ve watched quite a few State of the Union’s, since I was a teenager. I don’t remember almost the entirety of a political party booing for any length of time, not just making noises/or signs of disapproval, but actual booing and shouts of “Liar.” I am glad to see the response from a group of Republicans, it was refreshing, and I don’t blame them for it. However, it is a sad reality that a poor leader will divide rather than unite opposing forces. Much has been said about the seemingly fake or disingenuous nature of the State of the Union address. While I am not a fan of staged political theater, over time this exercise has become less a statement on our unity and more a topical “whack-a-mole” of division. Let’s remember this divisiveness is a symptom, not the disease. The disease is something I will get to shortly.

I could go point for point on the policies that he presented, and many will, but I want to focus on something that I have not heard from other commentators to this point. Mr. Biden said, “the world is watching.” This may be true, and I do believe that, while I hold to non-interventionism in global politics, I do understand that we should, (as many of the first citizens, pastors, and founding fathers extolled) be “the shining city on a hill.” However, he paired those remarks with policies that are not only extremely “regressive” in a political sense, extremely immoral in a societal or moralistic sense, but more importantly they are profoundly ungodly, sinful, and degenerate. A lot of noise was made about the Grammy performance being satanic, and I’m glad people disapproved, but frankly what a musician does on TV bothers me less, than what a nation does to its citizens, or what leaders fail to do in promoting goodness or decency. Promoting LGBTQA+ godlessness and the slaughtering of the unborn is damnable, wicked, and unbecoming of a leader of a Nation whose founding principles were that of the Bible. This is the disease I referred to earlier.

Ironically, Biden would then go on to say, “we are all created in the Image of God.” If he had any sense of logic or reason, he would know that anyone who bears the image of God, deserves protection from being slaughtered in the womb, and is also called to follow God’s precepts and to live a life devoted to God’s standards of holiness.

Biden also unequivocally stated, “we are strong” and “we are good people.” I must tell you I don’t believe that “we” are either, not all of us. All of us know people who are weak or wicked. However, most of us also know people who have been made strong and redeemed. It must be rejected that our strength comes from our acceptance of each other as we are. Instead, our strength must come from our fostering holiness in one another as a nation devoted to God who is merciful to repenting sinners. If anything is to be done about the current state of things, it must come from a repentance and return to faith and living according to God’s law, not merely contrarian “conservatism” or halfway policies.

Lord God, forgive our wickedness as we repent, strengthen our hearts and our passion to burn for a renewed righteousness in our country, cause hard hearts to be shattered and reminded of their need for you. Remind us that “Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 33:12) We praise you because you have remained faithful, even as we have turned away from you. If it is your will raise up new shepherds of your people, and of this country, to reinvigorate goodness, holiness, and justice in our country I pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

“I have alternately been called an Aristocrat and a Democrat. I am neither. I am a Christocrat.”

Benjamin Rush Founding father

As a Christian and constitutionalist, I wish to focus on the principles of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Leftists, progressives, and R.I.N.O.’S assault each one of these foundational principles. If elected, I will defend and reinvigorate these principles.

Life:

Regarding abortion, I am powerfully pro-life, and I believe that every human being is made in the image of God.

Marriage and family: As a Christian I also believe that we are created to live as God intended us to. The nuclear family has been attacked repeatedly and needs to be protected. I will do that in the legislature, and I will encourage others to stand up and be the change.

Liberty:

Autonomy and Freedom. Our founding fathers in the constitution state, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.” Yet repeatedly over the last few years we have seen the erosion of Rights and freedom of the individual. Rights are not given by the government they are given by God and therefore cannot be taken away by tyranny. Unelected officials and bureaucrats hold too much power and need to be reined in. I propose that any directive given by unelected officials, must go through the legislative process meeting a 2/3rds majority.

Additionally, all mandates to force compliance should perpetually be seen as unconstitutional and rejected.

Furthermore, our state cannot maintain its belief in the integrity of elections if there isn’t strict protection of the ballot box. More transparency in the process is necessary. Also, requirements for identification must be adopted.

Our country cannot be free if our children are not moral and loving of their country. School choice will allow parents to raise their children as they see fit and increase their bargaining power to inform what their children learn in public, private and homeschooling. The curriculum of public schools must teach truthful history and foster the American and Biblical concepts of Truth, Freedom, Equality, Reverence, and Duty to God, country, and one another. We must reject modern racism found in C.R.T. and the sexualizing of children. Let them focus on whatever is “good, noble, honorable… etc.”

Pursuit of Happiness:

Costs of Living. There is a rather sad situation in America specifically Nebraska and our counties in this district that the price of housing, food, gas and other necessities are rising fast, while our income is not. There are multiple factors that all play into this, but Nebraska and other states must take action to help citizens by removing obstacles. My plan is to have our state join others in pushing for American energy independence. This will cut a variety of rising costs like gas, heating, petroleum products, shipping costs etc.

Additionally, I would push for a review of the housing market. Affordable housing should not be unattainable for anyone who works hard. There should be more emphasis and incentives given to property ownership and good stewardship.

I would also support greater opportunities for bringing jobs to smaller communities like Utica, Seward, York, or Milford. Hopefully increasing the wages available for anyone willing to work by competition and benefits packages designed to attract great workers.

Security and “peace through strength:”
Preparedness is extremely important. I support more funding to law enforcement designated to specialized training and equipment. I also support everyone’s right to self-defense as prescribed in the second amendment. I whole heartedly support efforts to secure our country’s southern border and to reform immigration.

Purpose and Hope:

It would be a shame to not to take this opportunity to share with you the most important stance I can have. I am a Christian and I believe God has given a purpose and has a plan for each of us. Therefore, I support a greater return to the principles of honesty, decency and morality that made America what it was. I am saved by faith in Jesus Christ and that gives me immensely more purpose than what I would contrive for myself and informs all policies and decisions I will make.

A Christian, husband and father. Dedicated to Biblical and Constitutional Principles. Trustworthy, hard-working, determined and principled. Joshua graduated from Centennial High School in Utica in 2009. He went on to Concordia University in Seward where he graduated with degrees in history and theology in 2014. He recently earned a master’s degree in Christian Leadership from Grand Canyon University.