"The power of incumbency is the main reason why so many office holders are re-elected over and over - especially in Congress and the Senate. They already know how to use the system to reward and punish - a new guy has to start from scratch - as a new guy he has less influence and power in many cases." ~ Kevin Burke

Today. Yep. That's the one. According to the calendar I have on the wall here at my home away from home, the one displaying a beautiful photographic image of the Jefferson National Memorial with cherry blossoms surrounding it, well, it indicates that we are dealing with Thursday, April 12, 2018. I've attempted to come up with my own way of describing what we are witnessing each day from our nation's capital. I think sideshow makes some sense, although, many may not grasp the word picture it invokes. Maybe freak show is a better descriptive term. One thing does fit. It has surpassed any and all conceptions of what a bizarre reality show might look like. I don't mind telling people that I'm embarrassed by the daily preoccupation with parading the latest lowest common denominator of classless behavior for all to see. The System we have in place is strong. It is powerful. It is a force to be reckoned with. It includes the entrenched politicians and their allies. It is held together by a powerful bureaucracy that has self-preservation as it's ultimate goal. President Trump did not come up through The System. He is an outsider. Don't get me wrong. He has enough personal baggage to muck up things on most days. But, The System, made up of both parties, it will use that and anything else to maintain its power. No one, including the highest elected official in our land, is exempt from the all-out war that seeks surrender of anyone who would buck The System. Let me summarize, taken in context, it's one huge mess. The bottom line as I see it: Never underestimate the power of The System.

I tried to listen to some of the testimony of Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder, as he responded to questions from a Senate panel. Having worked for nearly 25 years in the computer technology world, in a past life, I am somewhat familiar with the highly technical gobbly gook he often shared in his answers. (I suppose it was good for him that he was not required to be sworn in so he could answer without being held to the standard of being under oath.) He did admit that his California main campus is made up almost entirely of some of the most left-leaning people on the planet. That was in response to a question regarding their blocking of certain conservative commenters while not doing the same to those espousing liberal viewpoints. Zuckerberg acknowledged this to be a problem. He did not acknowledge how it could or would be fixed. Facebook recently suspended the account of a professor who criticized the Muslim religion. At the same time, they allow unmitigated and vicious attacks against Christianity almost as the norm. I am a Facebook user. I use it to share with family and friends. As a result of what we have learned about how they use personal data, I will be using the controls in place to limit their ability to capture and use my personal information. Labeling only one side as haters in a free and open society does not support freedom of speech and other rights that are constitutionally protected. One financial analyst pointed out that Mr. Zuckerberg's fortune increased by $2.8 billion dollars even as he sat before the committee. In today's world, I suppose that's the only endorsement that counts. (That $2.8 billion was added to his accumulated $66 billion which had made him the 5th most wealthy person in the world according to the recent Forbes ranking.)

Much of what we are seeing is consistent with God's prophetic word to us. God breathed out these words through His inspired writer, the Apostle Paul, in a letter written to Paul's associate, Timothy: "Know this: In the last days perilous times will come. Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, slanderers, unrestrained, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Turn away from such people." (2nd Timothy 3:1-5, Modern English Version MEV) Here's something I recently saw. A late night talk show host thought it would be funny to make fun of First Lady Melania Trump and her accent. A particular conservative TV commentator took exception to him doing this and more or less declared war on the talk show host and his program. The two of them had heated exchanges on their programs as well as on social media. This went on for several days and became uglier and uglier. Finally, the talk show host used some crude sexual remarks to indicate the relationship between the conservative and President Trump. That was a big mistake. Up until that point, the liberals were rooting him on, but, when he said those things he alienated one of his major support groups, the homosexual community. They must be powerful because once they protested he immediately began an apology tour and even attempted to settle the matter so everyone could move on. This is the world we live in. The one Paul told Timothy about. God knows all about it. May we all trust in Him. Amen. ....More later.