‘Vertical’ path is solution at the polls

Founders called on ‘Divine Providence’

My first vote for president was as a college student in 1952, and I haven’t missed since. My birthday is Nov. 4, and the outcome of the presidential election always added mildly to my joy or left me mildly disappointed, depending on my candidate winning or losing. I sensed most Americans felt the same. Nevertheless, we adjusted and got on with life! Yet, in all the elections I have experienced, this 2020 event is extraordinary and unique. In all my years I have never seen our country so radically divided, citizens more hostile or deprecating, ignorant broadly of facts, pushing twisted propaganda and lying accusations, violence ignored in our streets and the threats of cheating and stealing the election!

No, 2020 is vastly different from all my previous elections. Our national political life has always been “hard ball,” but this year, we seem to have the most illegal and deceptive pitches possible. In the majority of our minds there are only two obvious outcomes — deliverance or disaster.

We are again at an impossible impasse between two fixed sources — conservative, rightwing politics (originalists) and liberal, leftwing politics (progressives) — with both groups having their share of extremists. I’m convinced our only hope is in a return to a third politics (spiritualists) — “vertical politics” — that was in dominant abundance among our people in 1775-1795. This was the philosophy of government displayed by our country’s Founders: Let God control our political actions. Overwhelming evidence proves this ideal. This attitude of “verticality” at our beginning as a nation was the mindset of our Founders and made clear in the documents they left behind. Their definition of “vertical politics” concludes the Declaration of Independence, “with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.”

I owe this thought to my friend Mike Huckabee. I was excited by its truth the first time I heard him say it. He declared that what we desperately need to save and balance our government is not liberal politics or conservative politics but vertical politics. This means enough of our citizens need to make a difference by leading out in “God impact” in order to stop or at least slow the rampant moral decline and secular idolatry in America’s “culture war.” Too many of us have deserted the high resolve of our Declaration and the spiritual thinking and intent of the Founders.

Whenever we vote, our basic hope should be that the result will give us leaders who will live and practice “vertical politics.” We must restore what we have lost and regain that “vertical power” that made America the freest, most prosperous, most disciplined and most generous nation in history. May the Creator answer us again! I’m praying my vote will take us in that direction. We vote not for a man, but for a governing policy that is built on “vertical principles.”

I know all “vertical disciples” will be blessed regardless of this election’s outcome.