Let’s be honest: When we think of the word “courage,” we don’t usually think of politicians. When I think of politicians, the word that comes to mind is the exact opposite of “courage.”
I’ve interviewed nearly 800 leaders, but I’ve never written about a courageous politician. However, it is true that I do not usually write editorials or explanatory articles. However, I felt the Lord leading me to write this article to help someone I had previously interviewed. was missing Courage after January 6thth2021.
looking at oklahoma Senator James Lankford gives a recent speech In the same room he spoke on January 6thth, questioning the election results (for which he apologized), I couldn’t help but think about the courage to take. It took courage to give a speech knowing that the bill he had been working on for over four months straight would fail, and courage to still have the courage to defend the bill knowing it would not pass. I’m sure there will be. There will be a backlash.
A close friend who knows the senator’s daughter told me that Sen. Lankford spent the Christmas break working on the immigration bill, working across the aisle to get support from all sides to the Democratic Party. That’s what it means. In short, the immigration bill was primarily supposed to accomplish three things. It was supposed to provide funding for Ukraine and Israel as well as the tools needed to fight an outdated and weak immigration system, all of which Republicans insist on.
That’s what the American people want from their politicians.
But when the going gets tough and they do the right thing by getting support outside their party, as was the case with Sen. Lankford, the American people don’t seem to like it.
The bill was not even read by former President Trump or House Speaker Mike Johnson, who decided it should be defeated because it did not benefit them or their party. . “They all work based on rumors on the internet about what the bill is about, and a lot of it is false,” Lankford said.
Another courageous Republican, Sen. Mitt Romney, also praised Lankford’s actions. I recently interviewed McKay Coppins about his new book. Romney’s calculations, emphasized Romney’s courage. Romney and Lankford both have courage in a time that seems hard to find in American politics.
What’s so interesting is that Republican lawmakers wanted exactly what Lankford was championing.
In fact, many historians and experts even said that the party was getting exactly what it wanted from this bill.I think it’s interesting that the former president, along with Chairman Johnson, did not put the interests of the American people first, but that’s exactly what Mr. Lankford thought. did do.
“Our immigration laws have been weak for many years. This is a once-in-a-generation move to close open borders and give future administrations the effective tools they need to stop border chaos and protect our country.” It’s an opportunity.” I couldn’t help but say this as I watched Senator Lankford speak. But as I reflected on what the former president and the Republican Party were trying to walk away from, I also thought about the courage it took for Mr. Lankford to confront members of his own party.
The story is about David confronting Nathaniel. 2 Samuel 12:7 While not comparable to Lankford’s remark, the famous “Thou art the man” came as Lankford essentially ran against former President Trump and it was clear what the party was missing out on. It was a defiant reminder of that moment.
At a time when Americans want politicians to be courageous, Mr. Lankford is just that person, able to stand up to former President Trump and tell the truth, something many in his party fear and are motivated to do. . Refrain from any comments he makes on the issue.
Or, in this case, the immigration bill Mr. Lankford courageously strangled. I appreciate Mr. Lankford’s belief that we should put country before power, or that we should wait in case former President Trump becomes president and we may face a serious national crisis. There is. What happens at our borders should be taken seriously, not used to make political points about who benefits it most.
Lankford was vocal about his critics and bullies who tried to go after him. a popular political commentator He even threatened to “do everything possible to destroy” Lankford. I can only assume that this threat was not about his policies, but because he did the right thing by putting the interests of the American people first.
Some of you may not know, but Lankford is an ordained minister and I have had the privilege of being around him many times and consider us friends. That’s why I can say this: Lankford is not perfect. No one is. But he is a man of faith and we thank him for showing courage when our country needed it most.
Although the immigration bill may not pass and his work may seem in vain, I know that our work is done for the Lord, and Lankford knows he did the right thing. I’m sure you’ll be proud. In my opinion, he is a courageous figure in a place like Washington, D.C., where we need more leaders like Sen. Lankford.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Alex Wong/Staff
