Opinion
By Judge John Marshall Meisburg, Jr.
The Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness are clashing in the Election on November 5th. For that reason, it is one of the most important elections in American history. It is very important critical that every Christian pray and VOTE!
In the Presidential Election, I believe that President Trump is the candidate who will (1) close the border and protect American sovereignty and national security (2)end inflation by creating a great energy policy and economy and (3)end the wars in Ukraine and Israel. In short, he will bring back peace and prosperity like he did in his first term as President.
In regard to the moral and social issues, President Trump opposes late term abortions, single-payer healthcare (socialized medicine), abortion funding, gender surgery for minors, males in female sports, and Green New Deal climate change regulations. Trump supports American energy independence by cutting regulations for oil and gas, full religious freedom for individuals and businesses, proper ID for voting and Supreme Court justices who adhere to the Original Intent of the Constitution. Vice President Harris on the other hand, supports late term abortion, single payer health care (socialized medicine), abortion funding, taxpayer funding of
gender surgery on minors, biological males in female sports, and Green New Deal climate change regulations. Harris opposes cutting oil and gas regulations to obtain American energy independence, full religious freedom for individuals and businesses, proper ID and citizenship voting requirements, and Supreme Court justices who adhere to the Original Intent of the Constitution.
In addition, President Trump is the candidate who will protect freedom of speech by ending censorship of the news, and will bring justice to the land by ending the abuse of the legal system to target political opponents. He will also be a strong supporter of Israel, our most important democratic friend in the Middle East.
Based on all these issues, I believe that the overwhelming choice for Christians and all Americans in the Presidential campaign is to vote for President Donald J. Trump.
There are also 6 Constitutional Amendments on the Florida Ballot, which require a 60% vote to pass.
Amendment One would create partisan School Board Elections. Voting Yes on this Amendment would allow the voters to know the political party and political leanings of their School Board candidates, which is very important, especially today when so many social issues are confronting our schools and students. So I am Voting YES on One.
Amendment Two would create a right to Fish and Hunt. It would forever protect fishing and hunting in Florida as effective ways of managing our wildlife population. I am VOTING YES on 2.
Amendment Three would legalize recreational Marijuana. Medical marijuana is already legal in Florida so this Amendment is not needed from a medical viewpoint. And, I believe that recreational marijuana would cause permanent damage to our state. Not one person is in Florida prisons for the sale or possession of marijuana, so this Amendment is not needed from a legal viewpoint. From a health viewpoint, marijuana is a very addictive, mind altering, hallucinogenic, gateway drug that causes many evils including mental illness, anxiety, depression, paranoia, schizophrenia, bronchitis lung cancer, low productivity, job loss, divorce, and DUI’s on our roads. A new study even shows a connection with heart attack and stroke. The marijuana of today is also 30 to 70 times stronger than the drug of the past, making it very dangerous.
Some say that this Amendment will bring in millions of dollars for our schools. That is not so: there is no provision in the Amendment as to how this tax money will be spent. And, the health cost to our state from the use and misuse of this drug would be greater than any amount raised in taxes.
The states that have legalized marijuana are having “buyer’s remorse” due to the increase in DUI auto accidents, and the smell of this drug being pervasive. This Amendment is also being bankrolled by millions of dollars from out of state liberal forces and drug cartels, who will have a monopoly on the sale. Moreover, this Amendment would create total legal immunity for these drug companies, so they cannot be sued if they sell you a drug that causes injury of death.
From a spiritual view, the Bible says “Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and you are not your own.” 1 Corinthians 6:19. And “be filled with the Holy Spirit (not drugs or alcohol) and “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind”. I do not believe that God ever intended Christians to use mind altering, hallucinogenic drugs. So I am voting NO on 3. In my view, we must NOT encourage our citizens and young people to use marijuana or any other mind altering drug and we must not put the stamp or imprimatur of the state of Florida on recreational marijuana!
Amendment 4 is a very radical and deceptive Amendment. It would legalize abortions in our state, at any age, all the way up to time of birth, for any type of undefined “health” issue, and on the word of any “health care provider” – not just a medical doctor! It would eliminate all regulations on
abortion, eliminate parental consent for minors for abortion, and invalidate the new Florida 6 week “heartbeat” abortion law.
Because it would create a right, it would also probably require the state to even pay for abortions! And this Amendment is also being bankrolled by many out of state liberal forces. This Amendment does NOT just restore Roe v. Wade; rather, it would allow late term abortions far beyond the time that an unborn baby can feel pain. In my view, abortion is the American holocaust which has killed 70 million babies since 1973. This Amendment would legalize the killing of unborn babies in Florida, and enshrine that in our Constitution! The Bible says “I knew you before I formed you in the womb” and “Thou shalt not kill.” So I am voting NO on 4.
Amendment 5 would increase the Homestead
Exemption due to Inflation, easing the tax burden on Florida families. Amendment 6 would repeal Taxpayer Funding of Political Campaigns, to end this waste of taxpayer money. So I am voting YES on 5 and 6.
Finally, there are nine (9) judges on the Florida ballot who are up for retention. The two Supreme Court justices up for retention are pro-life, and voted against the Abortion Amendment being on the Florida Ballot. The other 7 appellate judges are graduates of excellent law schools, and were appointed by Governors DeSantis and Governor Scott, two Christian Governors. So I am voting to retain all 9 judges.
Let’s pray: Father in Heaven: We love you and bless you today, and we lift up this election to your Throne of Mercy and Grace. You say in your Word: Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord. So, God, may Your will be done in America as it is in Heaven . Let the people who are called by your name VOTE for Christians candidates and a Christian world view. We ask you God to save America for You and Your Kingdom. We say and decree today that Jesus is Lord over America, and that Jesus is Lord over the White House, and the Jesus is Lord over Courthouse. And we thank you God in advance for the victory in this election. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR- JUDGE JOHN MARSHALL MEISBURG, JR.
Judge John Marshall Meisburg, Jr., was a U.S. Administrative Law Judge with the Social Security Administration for 26 years in Jacksonville, Florida. He retired as a judge in 2021 and is now practicing law in Fernandina Beach. He has been married for 44 years to Dr. Denise Meisburg, a Christian counselor. They have six children and 11 grandchildren. Prior to being a judge, he was a lawyer with the Federal government for 23 years, serving in all three branches of the government, with the U.S. District Court, EEOC, Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., U.S. House of Representatives, Office of Special Counsel and FDIC. He was in the private law practice one year in Washington, D.C. and filed the lawsuit that became the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case on sexual harassment. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Kentucky, and a Juris Doctor law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law. He is a member of the Bar of Florida and Kentucky. He is a lifelong Christian, being raised in the Baptist faith in Louisville, Kentucky. He was an Elder at New Life Christian Fellowship in Jacksonville where he taught Sunday School, the Jewish Roots of the Faith and the Christian Heritage of America. He was a leader of both the National Day of Prayer and the House of Prayer in Jacksonville for over ten years. He has published 12 books relating to Christian and legal issues. He is now a member of Living Waters World Outreach Center in Fernandina Beach, where he serves in the prayer and home group ministry, and is a member of the Board of Directors for Faith Christian Academy. He is now an Honored Listee in the Marquis Who’s Who in America.
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal Florida
