Here is an observation I have made about this election and what I believe has happened to the Republican Party. These are the opinions of an old country preacher who has lived long enough to hear the promises, watch the campaigns, and recognize some familiar patterns.
I was too young to vote when John F. Kennedy ran for president in 1960, but I remember the concern about his Catholic faith. Among some Republicans and Protestant voters, there was fear that electing Kennedy would give the Pope influence over American government. Kennedy addressed that concern directly in his September 12, 1960, speech to ministers in Houston, affirming that his decisions as president would serve the national interest rather than outside religious instructions.
Kennedy was elected. America did not become a Catholic nation, and the Pope did not become our ruler. Looking back, we ought to ask how much of that alarm came from evidence and how much came from prejudice dressed up as patriotism.
Fear is a powerful campaign tool. Frightened people may stop asking whether their own leaders are telling the truth. They become so concerned about the danger they have been told to fear that they overlook what is happening right in front of them.
Today, I hear warnings about Muslims taking over America. I do not believe that is a sound basis for judging our neighbors or choosing our leaders. A Muslim American’s religion does not prove disloyalty any more than Kennedy’s Catholic faith proved that he would surrender the presidency to Rome. Judge people by their conduct. Apply the same standard to everyone.
Religious liberty becomes a hollow promise if we defend it only for people who believe as we do.
Meanwhile, I want my Republican friends to consider another question: How carefully have we examined the influence of the Israeli government on American foreign policy?
In my judgment, the administration has tied American interests too closely to the objectives of Israel’s leadership, particularly in the conflict with Iran. That is my assessment of the policy, and it deserves an honest debate. Friendship with another nation does not relieve our government of its responsibility to explain why Americans must bear the costs and risks of war.
My criticism concerns government decisions and political influence. Jewish people are not collectively responsible for the decisions of Israel’s government, just as American citizens are not all responsible in the same way for every decision made in Washington.
I am troubled when support for Israel is presented as a religious obligation that places its government beyond criticism. Some Christians speak as though supporting a modern nation’s military decisions guarantees God’s blessing upon America. I cannot accept that interpretation.
Scripture requires justice, mercy, and obedience. The prophets rebuked Israel when its rulers oppressed others. They did not teach that national identity excused wrongdoing. Neither should we.
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” —Micah 6:8, KJV.
That requirement reaches Washington as surely as it reached ancient Jerusalem.
I also question the language used to describe this war. Announcements of victory mean little to families still facing danger and loss. If the fighting continues, the American people deserve a clear explanation of what has ended, what remains, and what further sacrifice it demands. Recent reporting describes continuing attacks and instability around the Strait of Hormuz despite hopes for an end to the conflict.
I believe Congress must use its authority over appropriations to demand accountability and press for an end to this war. I cannot promise that cutting particular funds would end the conflict immediately. But an administration should not expect an unlimited check while the public receives shifting explanations.
The Democrats have now won control of Congress. That is a defeat for Republican leadership, but it does not automatically make the Democratic Party the answer to America’s troubles.
My concern is that the next two years will become another season of political revenge. Investigations can uncover wrongdoing, and no president should be above accountability. But accountability must follow evidence and apply consistent standards. If the purpose becomes humiliating opponents and settling scores, the public will once again pay for a political struggle that does little to improve ordinary life.
People need affordable groceries, dependable work, medical care they can obtain, and confidence that their children will not inherit another endless war. They deserve representatives who remember those needs after the campaign signs come down.
A weary part of me thinks a divided government might at least slow the passage of laws that further restrict our freedom. Yet paralysis is a poor substitute for good government. We ought to expect more than two parties preventing each other from harming.
When I say there is not a dime’s worth of difference between the parties, I mean I'm frustrated by their habits of power. Their policies differ in real ways. They also share familiar patterns: excuses for their own side, outrage at the other side, and promises that seem to expire after Election Day.
As a Christian, I cannot let party loyalty become the keeper of my conscience. A wrong does not become right because a Republican commits it. It does not become right because a Democrat commits it. Religious language cannot sanctify dishonesty, injustice, or the needless taking of human life.
What do I believe happened to the Republican Party? In my judgment, too many of its leaders learned to depend on fear, personal loyalty, and religious assurances while neglecting the principles they claimed to defend. This election should give them reason to examine that failure. The Democrats should examine themselves just as carefully before mistaking a victory for a certificate of righteousness.
I am an old country preacher. I want truth from the people who govern us, justice for those who suffer, and peace pursued with the seriousness we so often reserve for war. I want leaders who remember that public office is a responsibility the people entrust to them.
That is my opinion. My conscience is not for sale to either party.
Sources for historical and current factual background:
- [John F. Kennedy’s September 12, 1960, Houston address, The American Presidency Project](https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/speech-senator-john-f-kennedy-greater-houston-ministerial-association-rice-hotel-houston)
- [Associated Press: Calling control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections](https://www.ap.org/the-definitive-source/behind-the-news/calling-control-of-congress-in-the-2026-midterm-elections/)
- [CBS News: Iran war updates, November 5, 2026](https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-trump-midterms-strait-of-hormuz/)
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