When Hypocrites Get Elected…

I know some of this is old news, but the ire I feel seems to get stoked more every day. My family has been so blessed by God, and with hard work and diligent financial planning, we are likely to weather this economic storm in pretty good shape. Thank goodness retirement is a long way off, though. But I can’t say the same for all of my friends.

Let’s face it: my friends are just everyday, normal Americans. (They’d probably laugh to hear me call them ‘normal,’ though!) And now I’m having to watch them struggle with paying their mortgages & utilities, worrying about employment, and even wondering how they can keep healthcare coverage for their families. And I frankly don’t have any answers, except to lend an ear or a shoulder and to keep them in my prayers.

From what our elected officials say, you’d think that they would understand the difficult circumstances that many Americans are in right now. Here’s what we’ve heard:

President Obama’s Inaugural Address: “…What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task. This is the price and the promise of citizenship…”

Obama’s speech to the joint session of Congress 02/24/09: “…Now, I know there are some in this chamber and watching at home who are skeptical of whether this plan will work. And I understand that skepticism. Here in Washington, we’ve all seen how quickly good intentions can turn into broken promises and wasteful spending. And with a plan of this scale comes enormous responsibility to get it right…Our job is to govern with a sense of responsibility…So I ask this Congress to join me in doing whatever proves necessary…Given these realities, everyone in this chamber — Democrats and Republicans — will have to sacrifice some worthy priorities for which there are no dollars. And that includes me…As we stand at this crossroads of history, the eyes of all people in all nations are once again upon us — watching to see what we do with this moment; waiting for us to lead. Those of us gathered here tonight have been called to govern in extraordinary times. It is a tremendous burden, but also a great privilege — one that has been entrusted to few generations of Americans. For in our hands lies the ability to shape our world for good or for ill…”

Now, I’d better not hear anyone whining that I took the above quotes out of context. If you want to read or hear the speeches in their entirety, just go looking online. They’re easy to find.

OK, so America is being asked to suck it up, to tighten our belts, to let go of our extravagant and frivolous ways. But that doesn’t apply to everyone, just the commoners. Already, Wednesday has become party day at the White House with plans to make cocktail parties a Wednesday “tradition.” Gosh, I guess I should forget that Wednesday is “traditionally” a church night. Maybe I should start making plans with my friends for a new happy hour tradition. But we won’t be having waygu steak at $100 per serving – we’ll probably stick with hot wings, they’re expensive enough. Hmmm…I wonder if these White House party-goers have to be at work early the next morning. I’m guessing not, thanks to the next two stories.

Congress just got their annual pay raise (2.7% ), so the average congressman makes $174,000 per  year. Luckily for them, their raises are determined by private sector raises, and cannot be more than the raises for the general government employee. Gosh, I know that a lot of people, especially those who have lost their jobs, had their hours or benefits cut, would love to have that guarranteed raise. http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/02/congress-gets-automatic-raise-now-paid.html 

OK, so they are getting more money. They work really hard. That must be why they need so much petty cash. What could you do with an extra $93,000 in mad money each year? That’s in addition to the $1.3-$1.6M they already get for their expenses. But don’t worry – it’s going to help the economy and their constituents. http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/01/its-recession-congress-gives-lawmakers.html It gives a new meaning to MAD Money.

Let’s run the numbers: Uncle Sam is preparing to spend $4.4 BILLION on themselves, just in this year. Some of the money goes for maintaining and updating the Capitol facilities. That sounds reasonable. But then there is $800,000 so the gift shop can stay open for longer hours (but it also pays for event workers & guides). And don’t forget about the $480,000 to produce new informational brochures for the public. http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20090304/pl_mcclatchy/3181135

It looks like frugal living is only for the average American, not for the elected officials. In fact, with this new administration, it looks like rules only apply to average Americans. Like paying taxes. How many of us can get away with not paying them?

So I’ve come up with an idea to help the congressmen control their expenses. Since they are only working usually 3 day weeks, why doesn’t the government buy a nice hotel or two close to the Capitol where the legislators and their staff can stay while they are in town. They can have a cafeteria that serves nutritional food and a work-out room and pool so they can stay in shape. I’m sure DC has some busses & subways they could take to work or to the airport or to meetings. Or, if they really want to go green, let’s get those legs and bicycles working! Just imagine the Congress shedding pounds and dollars at the same time!

And with all of the money we are saving, perhaps we can afford to give visiting dignitaries some really nice gifts, instead of DVD deals from Amazon.com and plastic toys from the WH giftshop (was that on the first or second shift?). Sorry Mr Prime Minister Brown and the British nation, most Americans value our relationship. And some of us really love our Brit Com night on PBS!

So have courage, America, and hang in there. We’re all in this together.

Until next time…

One Nation, Under God

I attended the worship service at our church on Ash Wednesday. It was wonderful to have a church full on this festival, with the atmosphere so much different than the drama and problems of the old church. But that’s part of an old blog.

As we prepare for Holy Week, Lent gives us an excellent opportunity to take an honest assessment of our lives (impossible without the guidance of the Holy Spirit), of the length and width and depth of our sinful natures, and of our inability to do any thing which will decrease the distance between ourselves and our Loving Creator. To realize that Christ came as a lowly baby to experience our humanity and then submitted to a most horrific death, truly humbles me and resonates to the very core of my soul. Then to travel from the depths of despair to the highest high on Easter Day is too wonderful for words. It’s something amazing to experience.

“One nation, under God.” Although the original Pledge of Allegience (written in 1892) didn’t include this phrase, it was added in 1954 under President Eisenhower’s administration. The reason it was added was to identify that America was remarkable because she was blessed and empowered by her Creator, and not by any man made effort. And as such, having overcome a Great Depression and a World War, she indeed stood as a shining beacon on a hill, just like President Reagan said many years later.

“This nation, under God.” President Lincoln was present at the dedication of the national cemetery at Gettysburg, PA in 1863. By that fall, there had been over 250,000 casualities from the Civil War, and the Battle of Gettysburg itself had 7500 deaths, over three times the number of residents in the prosperous town. Although the romance and popularity of the war was waning, President Lincoln brought forth the idea that the war was more than about maintaining a unified country, but about defending the very freedoms, of ALL men, that were guaranteed by the founding fathers.

So it all goes back to the men who established and shaped our government. Did they INTEND  for America to be a nation, UNDER GOD? What did these men say? (Please read Michael Medved’s article at http://townhall.com/columnists/MichaelMedved/2007/10/03/the_founders_intended_a_christian,_not_secular,_society?page=full&comments=true for the complete picture; it’s not too long and very well written.)

• President George Washington: “reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle…Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”
• President John Adams: “Statesmen may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. A patriot must be a religious man.”
• President Thomas Jefferson: “God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God?”
• President James Madison: “religion is the basis and Foundation of Government,” and later wrote that “the belief in a God All Powerful, wise and good…. is essential to the moral order of the World and the happiness of men.”
• Chief Justice John Marshall: “The American population is entirely Christian, and with us Christianity and Religion are identified. It would be strange indeed, if with such a people, our institutions did not presuppose Christianity, and did not often refer to it, and exhibit relations with it.”
• Justice Samuel Chase: “Religion is of general and public concern, and on its support depend, in great measure, the peace and good order of government, the safety and happiness of the people. By our form of government, the Christian religion is the established religion, and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed upon the same equal footing, and are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty.”

And now we’ve arrived at a time where Christianity is increasingly becoming marginalized in American life and government. Much like the environment found in the French Revolution, we are now experiencing the American “Age of Reason,” where the accomplishments and excesses of man are celebrated. Christianity, along with Christian morals and values, are being pushed aside in favor of an enlightened and tolerant stand (commonly called political correctness). Sadly enough, this insidious movement is occuring even in the religious establishment as more churches seek to be “open” and a place where the focus is about “me and my worship experience.” But that is another blog, as well.

What concerns me at this moment is the division occuring between Christianity and our government. I believe that President Obama and the current administration are making serious attempts to make the separation even larger. I do not believe that Obama can even be called “Christian” as his prolonged allegience to Rev. Wright’s black liberation theology is not at all Christian, nor even Biblical. He has already changed (in the quiet darkness of a Friday afternoon without press) essentially Christian mandates: he has opened American coffers to pay for abortions over-seas, and he has rolled back the conscience rule. Although Obama says that determining when life begins is “above his paygrade,” he obviously believes that the “right to choose” only belongs to those who wish to end life, and not to those health care providers who do not want to participate in ending life. We’ve got a chief of staff who frequently, and apparently casually, throws out the f-bomb in public. And we have told China that human rights take a back seat to buying our national debt. Any moral rock that America has stood on for these last 2 and 1/2 centuries is now being jack-hammered away by people who want to be seen as “smart,” “progressive,” and “popular.”

Not only did we have to endure an inaugural speech and prayer that attempted to mollify believers of all kinds (and also non-believers), the present administration is going all of the way: prayers where Jesus isn’t mentioned (for fear of offending people – “throwing gasoline on a fire”) and requesting prayer transcripts 24 hours ahead of time for vetting purposes. What needs to be vetted? If anything, that in itself is a violation of the freedom of religion and the separation between church and state. It IS ok to have a prayer at a political event, but it is NOT ok to tell the person giving the prayer what they can or cannot say. It will be interesting to watch this as we get deeper into this presidency.

Let me end with two quotes:

From Rush Limbaugh: “All politicians, including President Obama, are temporary stewards of this nation. It is not their task to remake the founding of this country. It is not their task to tear it apart and rebuild it in their image.”

From Thomas Paine: “Man cannot make, or invent, or contrive principles. He can only discover them; and he ought to look through the discovery to the Author.”

I agree with the founding fathers. Let’s go back to the original game plan.

Until next time…