Greetings from Tyler,

Events we’ve been expecting are beginning to play out again in Europe. Parliamentary elections held last week show that the backlash against the EU is underway. It illustrates a growing rebellion against the strict regulatory environment that has in recent years virtually erased national sovereignty for member nations while preventing them from making any unilateral economic policy whatever. Results were most dramatic in France, where anti-European Union, anti-euro candidates handed a crushing defeat to the socialist party, and left France’s president babbling about the need for a “simpler” Europe. Holland’s party was reduced to two parliamentary seats, while the opposition won 73.

Voters also spoke clearly in Britain, showing their displeasure with the EU and removing all doubt as to whether they’ll ever be persuaded to join the common currency, as their Prime Minister and his party had hoped. David Cameron had said that he would not call a referendum on joining the euro until he could be sure of a positive outcome. Now it is pretty clear that will never happen.

Although the results were most dramatic in France and England, the “far right” as the media invariably dubs the opposition gained traction all across Europe. This outcome is being seen as a gathering political crisis for the entire European Union and casting further doubt on the long-term survival of the euro.

It might be hard to fathom unemployment on the scale of present-day Europe, around twenty percent generally and about 50% percent among the youth. But the U.S. is being pushed in the same direction by a litany of policies and programs that encourage giving up on work and getting on government assistance.

And have you seen what’s happening on our southern border? The number of adult illegals crossing over into the U.S. has doubled, to about 2000 per day. But the other incredible development is that of under-age children from all over Central and South America showing up on our border in their tens of thousands. Nobody in an official capacity seems to be able to comment on the situation at all. But we have it on good authority that illegals, once they’ve been caught are simply being released into society in their tens of thousands. That is in addition to recent reports showing that thousands of criminal illegals awaiting prosecution have been released onto the streets, including some 200 murderers. None of the news above has seen any coverage in the mainstream media.

The big news today, mainstream and otherwise, is the resignation of the head of the Veterans Administration, and the White House Press Secretary. With the growing scandal as to how our government has treated (or ignored) those who fought for our nation, the pressure finally reached critical mass. But it is hard to be optimistic that the situation will be remedied. Obviously, for hundreds of them it’s too late.

But there is no longer any point in arguing about the intentions of current leadership. Whether you focus on policies, foreign or domestic, it is apparent that our government favors those who represent a threat to our way of life, while punishing those who worked to create an atmosphere of freedom and prosperity.

Despite the fact that respected scientists appeared on Capitol Hill this week to testify about the pro-man-made-global-warming bias that exists at the UN, at government agencies and universities, there are reports that the EPA is poised to inflict heavy new “carbon reduction targets” , and that the president will unilaterally impose “cap and trade” regulations on industry on the authority of an executive order. The president gave the commencement address this week at West Point, telling graduating cadets that he would not be sending them into battle (a statement that was surely of interest to a great many bad actors in the world), and urging them to prepare themselves to meet the challenges presented around the world by global warming (or was it climate change?).

It looks as though meaningful opposition to the anti-American juggernaut bearing down from all directions has dissipated. Far from the prospect of returning to our founding ideology, and “first works” of respect and honor toward God and His Laws, everything is plummeting fast in the other direction. Problems are being created, and codified into law, that likely can never be remedied.

Iran’s ayatollah said this week that jihad will be pursued until the United States is destroyed. But that’s ok with the Whitehouse and the State Department. They still think there is something to be gained from diplomacy. Our national situation is starting to look like a domestic jihad being carried out from within.

The new monthly letter has just been mailed, and we are very near completion of the new edition of Twenty-first Century WATCH. We are also looking forward to Pentecost on June 8. I’m planning to travel to Land Between the Lakes with my son and daughter-in-law for the festivities. We hope to see many of you there!

Have a great Sabbath.

Mark Armstrong