Salt That Loses Its Flavor

Written by Mark Elfstrand, IFI Cultural Affairs Writer 

Self analysis can be helpful. Or harmful. Discovering and admitting to weaknesses should lead us to making changes that will move us forward. Failing to make that honest assessment can bring us to a sense of failure and even despair.

The political fallout from the 2024 elections has forced Democrats into some heavy self analysis. It’s even created a sense of helplessness to some degree. Pinpointing the core problem seems to be a mystery. As mysterious as a plan forward. 

Two Illinois governors—one present and one past—give us some insight here. Our current governor has donned his Superman cape to offer protection to “beleaguered” Texas legislators caught in the political trap of proposed redistricting. Democrats in Texas are feeling, well, helpless. Many think Pritzger may have his eyes on a bigger prize in 2028.

Meanwhile, in case you’ve been wondering what former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been up to lately (and I doubt you have), he recently told news voice Greta Van Susteren that the Democratic Party has been “hijacked by radical elements.” Taking it a step further, his assessment is that the Party has been hijacked by a “lunatic fringe.”

In the last few weeks, Kamala Harris takes us back in her new book, 107 Days. Here she informs us, “My new book is a behind-the-scenes look at my experience leading the shortest presidential campaign in modern history.” In promoting the book, Ms. Harris told a CNN reporter that one of the things she really struggles with is “what to say about Joe Biden.” Doubt that will gain her friends.

The “we need to find our way” party also received some bad polling news. The latest AP-NORC poll indicated Democrats appear to be struggling with more resentment toward their party than do Republicans. PBS reported that “Republicans were about twice as likely to describe their own party positively.”

Conversely, roughly one-third of Democrats described their party negatively. About 15% of responses used words like “weak” or “apathetic.” Some 10% describe it as broadly “ineffective” or “disorganized.” A mere 2 in 10 Democrats viewed the party positively.

Even Hunter Biden has gone negative. In an interview on “Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan,” —a popular YouTube channel— Hunter used a repeated expletive in describing former political soulmates. Names included David Axelrod, George Clooney, Anita Dunn, and several former Obama staffers. Hunter is one unhappy camper!

How did it come to this? Kamala Harris was unwilling to put the blame on any single person. Blagojevich stated what he believes was the source of the “hijacking.” In his words, “It doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s been a process” Blago places a good part of the blame on a politician whose last name begins with “O.”  

However it came about, Democrats need a fix’n. Unless the party is willing to pull in the reins on certain party members like “The Squad” or get real with dangerous legislation negatively impacting families, I believe the losses will grow. I mean, who wants “lunatics” in charge? (Don’t answer that.)

Republicans best be careful here. Proverbs 24:17-18 tells us, “Don’t be happy to see your enemies trip and fall down. The Lord will find out and be unhappy. Then he will stop being angry with them.” (CEV) And in Matthew 5:44 Jesus tells us, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Politics is quite often a cruel business. It pits one set of ideals against another. One set of core values against another. Individuals and groups in opposition to each other. Thus, when winners become losers and losers the winners, it becomes personal.

Politics is also about personalities. Some people just rub us the wrong way. But in the name of “the greater good,” we are willing to look past the obvious downsides for our preferred gains. That can be quite dangerous, too.

In thinking about politics, the Christian mind must be guided by the Christian soul. Ideally, the Christian soul is guided by Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. If we lose that, what kind of “salt” will we be in this world?

I’ll tell you. The kind that loses its flavor.