By WILLIAM KRISTOL
The English poet Thomas Gray described poetry as “thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.” The Republicans could use some thoughts that breathe. Soundbites and factoids only go so far. Speeches that paint a colorful but credible picture of our present situation, how things would continue to get worse under Obama, and how things might get better under a Republican, would be welcome.
They could also use some “words that burn.” Republicans tend to ask, “Where’s the outrage?” instead of actually expressing justified outrage. Religious liberty under assault, the military being wantonly gutted, debt accumulating, free markets distorted to reward cronies, citizens being treated as wards of the nanny state—there’s plenty happening that calls for words that burn.
About Stan Guthrie
Stan Guthrie is an editor at large for Christianity Today magazine and for the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview. His latest book is God's Story in 66 Verses. He also is author of All that Jesus Asks: How His Questions Can Teach and Transform Us, Missions in the Third Millennium: 21 Key Trends for the 21st Century, and A Concise Guide to Bible Prophecy. He is co-author of The Sacrament of Evangelism. Besides authoring, writing, and editing books, Stan is a literary agent, bringing together good authors, good books, and good publishers.
Stan writes the monthly Priorities colum for BreakPoint.org. He has appeared on National Public Radio's Tell Me More, WGN's Milt Rosenberg program, and many Christian shows, including The Eric Metaxas Show and Moody Radio's New Day Florida. A licensed minister and an inspirational speaker, he served as moderator for the Christian Book Expo panel discussion, Does the God of Christianity Exist, and What Difference Does It Make?