The House has just passed the “repeal” of Obamacare.  What a mixed bag of thoughts this brings!

As a health-care bill, who knows for sure what surprises lurk beneath the surface.  Pelosi’s quip about passing a bill so you can find out what is in it is as true for this bill as most others.  But one thing is already obvious; this bill will no more lead to a free market in health insurance than the last one.  As former president FDR said about Social Security, once an entitlement is given, details can change, but the entitlement remains.

For weeks now, it’s been obvious that the Trump presidency, at best, will not lead to fundamental change in Washington.  There is simply not the support, by either political party, to challenge the underlying principles driving the elite.  Even the Freedom Caucus lacks the political will – and, I’m afraid, the ideological savvy – to challenge the socialist ethos of the day.

The most Trump has been able to change so far has been to start shifting the beneficiaries of our tax money from “her gang” to “his gang,” get rid of some of the worst decisions of the last eight years (thereby allowing pipeline construction to start/continue, e.g.), and rile up the enemy something fierce (e.g. Soros’ minions, the college Left, and the media.)

True believers in Trump posit things are on the right track and chide the Republicans for not being more enthusiastic.  To achieve long term goals requires strategy and compromise, they say.  Others might wonder if we’ve seen this before – minus the tax charts and Proposition 8 initiatives – and expect it to fade (i.e. be co-opted) rapidly.

It’s considered a truism by political scientists that governments – even tyrannies — rest on the consent of the governed.  The one thing that can be said for sure is, those of us who value freedom must redouble our efforts of convincing others if we wish to prevail.

And – most important – 2 Chronicles 7:14 must become our guiding star.

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