“OP ED” Plus -Thursday Thoughts – 03/26/2026 – Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

TOPICS

Americana, Christian Life, Culture/Society, Informed Citizenship {Govt & Politics}, Informed Patriotism, Prayer, Pro-Life, Military/Veterans, You Can’t Make This Up, and more.

We hope you become informed readers and citizens based on both the Bible and our founding fathers:

Acts 17:10-12, 2 Tim 2:14-16, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Paine

OPINON

In the days of my youth, I was told what it means to be a man
And now I’ve reached that age
I’ve tried to do all those things the best I can

No matter how I try, I find my way into the same old jam.

Good Times Bad Times, Led Zepppelin, 1969

Lately, I feel this (the same old jam) is the state of our country’s political machine. The “adult” leadership running it has resorted to chaos as a bargaining tactic. We all know how we should act, with civility, ethics, morals, etc., yet no matter how hard we try, some just refuse to read the memo. Not to mention the leaders of our government are here to serve us, “We the People.” Note the job description from gov.us:

The duties carried out by a Member of Congress are understood to include representation, legislation, and constituent service and communication, as well as electoral activities. The expectations and duties of a Member of Congress are extensive, encompassing several roles that could be full-time jobs by themselves. Despite the acceptance of these roles and other activities as facets of the Member’s job, there is no formal set of expectations or official explanation of what roles or duties are required, or what different Members might emphasize as they carry out their work. In the absence of such formal authorities, many of the responsibilities that Members of Congress have assumed over the years have evolved from the expectations or preferences of Members and of their constituencies.

The latest round of outright shameful behavior began Tuesday night during President Trump’s State of the Union Address. Let me lay out some of the more egregious acts in my opinion:

Before it even started, mainstream media was bashing the President (an everyday event) and the US Men’s Gold Medal Olympic team for their invitation to the SOTUA. They called it a political ploy, DUH YES! Political, in the sense that it was designed to invigorate patriotism, is that suddenly a bad thing?
The majority of Democrats refused to stand for even the most applaudable reasons. Things that saw all in attendance on their feet like American athletes, victims of violent crime, and war heroes left them seated.
Reps. Rashida Tlaib and the uniquely vile Ilhan Omar incessantly yelled at the president repeatedly, displaying a level of civility and decorum rarely seen in those chambers. I wonder how that would play in the “muslim” nations they claim as religious preference.
Maybe the most telling act of defiance in the room that night was when, once again, the majority of the Democrats present refused to stand in agreement with the president on the American government being for the benefit of American citizens, rather than illegal aliens.
If all of that was not bad enough, seventy-five (75) sitting members of Congress, all Democrats, failed to show up. They had better things to do, showing the American people they were cowards, afraid to be seen doing their jobs that they were elected to.

This was followed by pundits slamming President Trump for the attacks on Iran, the number one terror exporter in the World. You have to love them, though, they are ad nauseam in the repetition of talking points meant to stir an emotional, unreasoned thought in their constituents.

Lastly, the left is holding the NATION (U.S.A.) hostage over funding of the Department of Homeland Security. This has resulted in 4-6 hour wait times at many airports, as TSA employees are just one of a group of half a dozen or so DHS agencies working without pay.

The final line of that opening verse from Zeppelin is; No matter how I try, I find my way into the same old jam. I think that is where we are in American politics. They have gotten themselves stuck in this cycle of vile hatred, and no matter how or what they try (rarely do we see any real effort), the same old jam is the result.

What can we do? We need to pray, pray, and pray some more for our nation. Here is a list of links to Matthew Henrey’s Method of Prayers that deal with nations and leaders:

5.8 Pray for the Nations of the World and for Your Own Nation
5.9 Pray Earnestly for National Mercies and the Blessing of the Gospel Ministry in your Nation
5.10 Pray for the Continuance of your Nation’s Outward Peace and Tranquility
5.11 Pray for the Moral Decency and Civility of your Nation
5.12 Pray for the Healing of your Nation’s Unhappy Divisions and Success Against your Nation’s Enemies
5.13 Pray for your Head of State
5.14 Pray for the Safe and Righteous Continuation of your Civil Government
5.15 Pray for all who are Employed in the Conduct of Public Affairs
5.16 Pray for your Judges and Judicial Rulers

This article gets to what I believe is the heart of the matter: Why Christian Moral Reasoning Is Failing

Americana

A Nation Under God