In 1988, I became involved in the local political scene. I had never been involved in politics and decided that I would get involved. So, I joined the Fayette County Republican Party and got to work.
It was an interesting time. The Republicans were just emerging as a powerful voice. The Democrats had dominated Southern politics since the War Between the States but that was changing. A whole new group of conservatives, energized largely by the candidacy of Pat Robertson, suddenly became interested and active.
There was an “Old Guard” in place in Fayette Republican politics and there was a bitter struggle for control between the Old Guard and the “New Breed.” It wasn’t pretty but the New Breed, by fair elections, ousted most of the Old Guard and installed new people in most of the positions. I was selected as one of the new vice-presidents (there were several).
But, as I and others were about to learn, the fight was not over. When the duly elected local delegates arrived at the state convention, somehow the Party refused to seat the elected delegates from Fayette County and installed the members of the Old Guard.
I, for one, was stunned. How could elected delegates simply be put out? Well, there were rules in place that allowed democracy to be thwarted. And it was. The New Breed still ruled in Fayette County but had no voice at the state level.
I was disgusted. So disgusted, in fact, that shortly afterward I withdrew from participation in Party politics. “If things are this nasty at the local level within the same party,” I thought, “what must it be like at the state and national levels?” I didn’t want to know.
It is no surprise to me that both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are complaining about the system being rigged. As people are finding out, it may not matter what the electorate does at the ballot box during primaries — assuming there is even a primary to actually vote in. It is also no wonder to me that people on both the Left and the Right are clamoring for someone who is seen as “outside the system.”
Someone said that “politics is a contact sport.” No, boxing and football are contact sports. Politics is a smarmy, distasteful, cut-throat, back-stabbing business where members of the Mafia might feel right at home.
During those in-fighting days of 1988, one of the members of the Republican Party, who knew I was a minister, said, “What in the world is a man of the cloth doing being involved in something like this?” That question, a very legitimate one, was, for me, the deciding factor. He was right. I had no business being involved in such an endeavor.
Donald Trump has called the system of selecting nominees “corrupt.” I can’t disagree with him. Democrat Bernie Sanders has almost as many delegates as Hillary Clinton but, there too, the deck is stacked. Because of the so-called “super delegates,” he really never had much of a chance.
Back in 1988, my dad said that Pat Robertson was not qualified to be President of the United States. When I asked why, he said, “I think he’s probably an honest man. That alone makes him unqualified.” Sadly, I think my father may have been right.
[David Epps is the pastor of Christ the King Church (www.ctkcec.org.) which meets Sundays at 10 a.m. and is located on Ga. Highway 34 between Peachtree City and Newnan. He may be contacted at frepps@ctkcec.org.]
