TRUMP LEADING QUESTIONS

The leading questions that emerged from Session 2, and thereafter, were:

  • A. What is your Christian understanding as to the meaning of “freedom” and to what extent is President Trump fostering, or not, your concept of freedom?
  • B. What is your Christian understanding as to the proper role of government in America, taking into account the “vison of the Founding Fathers,” and to what extent is President Trump facilitating, or not, your understanding?
  • C. What is your Christian understanding of the meaning of “prosperity” and to what extent is President Trump fostering, or not, such prosperity?
  • D. What is your Christian understanding of the scope of the “gospel” and to what extent is President Trump fostering, or not, your understanding of that scope?
  • E. What is your Christian understanding regarding “abortion” and to what extent is President Trump fostering, or not, your understanding?
  • F. FOR GENERAL NON-SUPPORTERS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: Identify one initiative President Trump has taken for which you disagree with his “goal” (“end”).’ clearly stating your reasons for your disagreement in terms of your Christian beliefs.
  • F. FOR GENERAL SUPPORTERS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: Identify one initiative President Trump has taken for which you agree with his “goal” (“end”), clearly stating your reasons for your agreement in terms of your Christian beliefs.
  • G. How would you describe the way President Trump is “doing politics” (his “means” for seeking to accomplish his “political goals”)? Are his “means” consistent with your understanding of Christian values? If not, do you believe his “means” are justified because they lead to “ends” that you believe are consistent with Christian values?

CONTEXT: Questions F & G focused on the distinction between political goals (“ends”) and the “means” used to work toward accomplishment of those goals. It became apparent at the end of session 8 that more conversation was needed relative to this distinction. Therefore, a special extra session was called for December 18, 2019 to continue this conversation, for which the following two new Leading Questions (G2 & G3) were posed:

  • G2: Given the position taken by one of the conversation partners that Donald Trump does use some “unchristian means” (e.g., “vulgar language, rude behavior, belittling opponents”), to work toward the accomplishment of his desired “ends” and the position of this same conversation partner that “”there is no justification for anyone to utilize un-Christian means to accomplish an end [presumably even an end that fits well with Christian values], is it fair to surmise that this conversation partner voted for Donald Trump because if he had voted for Hillary Clinton, he would have been voting for someone who would act even more un-Christianly than Trump has acted (by, for example, pushing for a strong pro-choice agenda relative to abortion)?
  • G3: If there are “un-Christian” elements in both the “means” used by Donald Trump and the “ends” that Hilary Clinton would have pursued if she had been elected, how do you choose who to vote for? Do you choose to vote for the candidate whose “un-Christian” behavior you judge to be “worse” (and how do you decide what is “worse”?); or do you argue for a very radical proposal that the USA needs to adopt a multi-party system that allows for Christians to form a third party that seeks to avoid both types of “un-Christian” behavior? Are there any other options?
  • H. (FOR GENERAL NON-SUPPORTERS OF PRESDIENT TRUMP): What is your assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the policies that President Trump has facilitated (e.g., on taxes, trade, etc; ending with immigration – the subject of the next question)?
  • I: What is your assessment of Harold’s attempt (in chapter 7 of his book Reforming American Politics to uncover a “both/and” approach to comprehensive immigration reform as an example of a “conversational model” for doing politics (in contrast to either the “domination” or “withdrawal” options); as well as the similar “five principles” (not specific policy proposals) enumerated in the previously distributed “Evangelical Call for Restitution-Based Immigration Reform?”