A Blow to the Establishment

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The conservative populism that swept Donald Trump to victory last year struck a blow to the fractured GOP establishment by favoring Alabama Judge Roy Moore as the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.

On Monday, Steve Bannon, the personification of the populist movement, emphasized that voting for Moore didn't defy President Trump, who had tepidly supported the establishment GOP candidate, but did rather defy the establishment Republicans in Washington's "swamp."

"We did not come here to defy Donald Trump. We came here to praise and honor him," Bannon said.

How tough do you think it is to get his agenda? We have a cute phrase — "drain the swamp." ... We're not going to do it with slogans. ... You're going to have to fight every day to take Washington back, and by taking Washington back, take control of your own lives back.

In his acceptance speech Tuesday night, Moore credited God with his victory. "There's one you don't see up here," said Moore. "But let me tell you, "He's done more for my campaign than anybody — that's Almighty God."

Preceding Moore's acceptance speech, Bannon aligned Moore's victory with the start of a revolution to take back the Republican Party.

"As you all remember last night we talked about starting a revolution with Judge Moore's victory," Bannon relates. "Well, Sen. Corker stepped down today. He's not going to run for re-election." He was speaking of Tennessee's Sen. Bob Corker, who was entrenched in the GOP's "Do Nothing" Party that can't seem to defund Planned Parenthood or repeal Obamacare, in spite of their majority in both houses of Congress.

The reason there's a split in the GOP is the fact that those in authority are cherry-picking which laws to enforce based on their affinity for the morals enshrined in such laws. This division is mirrored in the Church today, when bishops disagree on whether conscience trumps truth — e.g., on whether a man can live in a state of mortal sin and still receive Holy Communion.

Watch the panel discuss what's dividing bishops and congressmen in The Download—Fracturing World, Fracturing Church.

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