There are not a lot of things conservatives can point to in the last four years that they would call a success. Foreign policy disasters, weaponization of government agencies against conservatives, the lawfare, rampant inflation. Going into Trump II Dr. Richard Land, president emeritus of Southern Evangelical Seminary, says he's looking forward to a return to common sense.
“The No. 1 thing would be a much stronger foreign policy against Iran, and against Islamic radicals, and against Russian aggression, and against Chinese aggression.
Land has a domestic wish list as well.
“Domestically, I'd like to see a reduction in taxes and turning away from the idea that the environment should trump everything else. We've seen where that leads in California,” he said.
Under Biden, it’s been woe unto those who opposed his radical initiatives.
Evangelicals were furious but helpless as the Biden Justice Department was weaponized against pro-lifers, school board moms, homeschooling families and churches.
Gary Bauer of Campaign for Working Families says the incoming Trump administration will be much more faith-friendly. He's sure, because he can remember Trump I.
“I think the second Trump administration is going to, in many ways, follow the pattern of the first when it comes to religious liberty. I think we're going to see more of a defense of religious liberty, and I think you're going to see an end to the Justice Department being used to infiltrate churches, suggest that angry parents are, somehow, potential terrorists,” he said.
Bauer was one of the handful of evangelical advisors that President Trump leaned on the first time around. He says he was frequently in the Oval Office with Donald Trump and was able to advise him “on issues ranging from educational reform to what the Christian basis was for the U.S./Israel alliance.”
And although it was not advertised, Trump never disbanded that council of advisors.
“That the advisory group continued to operate, even during his four years out of office. So, I I've been on it all during that time.”
What about Biden’s parting shots?
Land is hoping there's a way to undo most of the damage Joe Biden did in his last month or so in office – consent decrees handcuffing law enforcement in several cities, doing away with election integrity safeguards, unconstitutional student debt relief, and, of course, all the pardons.
“President Biden has behaved outrageously and shamefully,” Land said.
Land says the good news is Democrats don't seem to be able to stop themselves from being unhinged and therefore unpopular, as evidenced in recent Senate confirmation hearings.
“ I came away extremely unimpressed with the Democratic senators who were questioning them. If that's the A-team for the for the Democrats, it's easy to see where they lost.”
It's a different style of leadership with Trump, Bauer says.
Some see Trump as demanding and overbearing and surrounded by people who don’t question his whims. That’s not what Bauer sees.
“I've been with him many times when there were people in the room that disagreed with him, and he'll say, 'well, why do you have that opinion? Explain that to me.' He is a remarkably open man.”
