October 30, 2026

Appealing to Common Sense

Tomorrow is Election Day. History will be written, regardless of the outcome. 

I often consider Thomas Paine’s 1776 pamphlet, “Common Sense,” when I think about today’s battle to restore America. This writing was so compelling that George Washington required all of his troops to read it as they faced the challenges of being outmanned, outgunned, and undersupplied. No doubt about it – Paine’s pamphlet was a key force in motivating America’s patriots to fight for their liberty. 

His choice of title was as deliberate as the arguments within the pamphlet. The phrase was designed to frame the question of independence as something obvious, universal, and within reach of every reader - not just reserved for scholars and politicians. By naming his work “Common Sense,” Paine signaled that he would show ordinary people that the case for breaking with Britain rested on practical conclusions and shared human experience, not political theory. It was, indeed, a case for common sense. 

The title, “Common Sense,” promised clarity and the kind of reasoning anyone, regardless of education, could recognize as reasonable. He wrote in plain language, avoiding intellectualism and the jargon of political essays. He wanted farmers, tradesmen, and laborers to grasp his arguments, without wading through numerous footnotes or Latin phrases. By appealing to the “common” logic of his readers, Paine framed independence as a decision rooted in everyday practicality. He planned to mobilize them by presenting simple, provocative arguments in common language. If the reasons for independence felt like common sense, then resisting it meant rejecting practical truth. 

The phrase also implied shared ideals. “Common sense” referred to the general knowledge a community relied on to govern itself in ordinary life. Governance should be grounded in consent, rather than inherited authority from a monarchy in a far land. Paine argued that the colonies’ separation from Britain was not a radical leap but a logical conclusion grounded in the people’s mutual interests and rights. In Paine’s view, rejecting Britain’s rule was, well…common sense. With this approach, he invited readers to view independence as a natural consequence of the basic principles of liberty and self-government. 

The title “Common Sense” also carried a promise: the American dream would be explained in terms anyone could understand and act on. It was a strategic declaration that the decision to sever ties with Britain rested on the clear, shared judgments of ordinary people. “Common Sense” was indeed written to the common man.

TODAY

Here we are again today, needing common sense to save us. Oppressed by cultural elites, woke idiocy, and a party of anti-biblical politicians, the value of common sense is on the rise in America. Americans are sometimes gullible, definitely uninformed, and yes, entirely too self-absorbed. But we love our freedom, and most of us possess “good ole common sense.” 

• We don’t want millions more illegals - which would include terrorists, rapists, murderers, and fentanyl-carrying drug dealers - pouring across our borders. 

• We don’t want our children trafficked…or transitioned. 

• We don’t want homosexuality taught to children in our schools.

• We don’t want Islamists warring against our God-given roots, replacing Christianity, establishing Sharia law, and blasting Muslim prayers into our neighborhoods 5 times a day. 

• We don’t want socialism, Marxism, or communism to infiltrate our government and control our lives. 

• We don’t want higher taxes. 

• We don’t want crooked elections. (When a party must find fake candidates with the same name as another candidate in order to defeat them, common sense dictates that this deceitful party can’t be trusted.)

• We don’t want woke educational programs, a woke military, and a woke government. 

• We don’t want another shadow government, or a regrouping of the deep state. 

• We don’t want ideologues as judges. 

• We don’t want boys in girls’ sports - and certainly not in their locker rooms. (Sometimes you have to save those with no common sense from themselves!)

• We don’t want to be masked–especially our kids and babies, be told by government we can’t take the best meds for a sickness, and watch through glass as our parents and grandparents die alone. 

• We don’t want our energy sources shut down over “green” scams. 

• We don’t want one day a year set aside to celebrate our veterans while being force-fed a month of touting homosexuality and heretical rainbows. 

• We don’t want violent criminals on our streets, while Christians are thrown in jail for praying on our sidewalks. 

• We want common sense!!!

Before voting tomorrow - or, God forbid, before not voting - remind yourself of 2021 through 2025, when all of these radical ideals were in full force, and the takeover of America by those espousing them looked inevitable. Consider passing this post on to any friends who seem unmotivated to vote. 

And pray. It isn’t too late for minds to be directed, or even redirected. Many make their final decision at the ballot box. Others let distractions on voting day keep them from going to the booth. Prayers can still help. 

Pray with me:

Father, thank You for graciously helping us throughout our history. Knowing the tendencies of fallen humanity, You are generous with Your mercy, yet always righteous. Great is Your faithfulness, great is Your love, and great is Your mercy. 

We ask for this mercy again today. Stir the hearts of all believers to vote, and to do so according to biblical values. Rest heavily on their consciences. Remind them that righteousness exalts a nation, while sin brings oppression and a reproach. Reverse any and all deception that would lead any of them to vote for candidates that oppose You OR Your ways. And we ask You to also move the minds and hearts of voters who do not claim to be born again, but do have common sense and love America. Appeal to that common sense, Lord. 

Enable us to continue restoring our nation to You. We call forth the righteous roots in our land and command them to live. We call forth their fruit. We bind the forces of evil attempting to steal our identity and destiny, and declare that they will not prosper. We pray all of this in Jesus’ name! Amen. 

Our decree:

We declare that mercy triumphs over judgment, and righteousness will prevail in our land.

You can read Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” here.