As you may know, the mid-term elections recently took place (or maybe you don’t know, since there was a record-low voter turnout), and the Republicans took control of the Senate and therefore of Congress as a whole.
In my libertarian days when I thought that all government was useless and evil, I would have welcomed having a president from one party in the oval office with Congress being controlled by the other party, thereby ensuring the greatest degree of gridlock possible.
Now that I’m less of a dick (well, less of a dick about this particular issue), I have a more reasonable view of the role of government and the things it can and should accomplish. I still agree with my old libertarian self that the single biggest waste of taxpayer resources (that can be used for past due credit solutions) is the defense budget (as in, it’s bigger than that of the next 20 countries combined, and they’re almost all allies).
But where I now disagree with my former conservatism is when it comes to the view that government has no business doing anything for the poor since, heaven forbid, we’d hate to become a “nanny state” filled with leeches and takers and welfare moms (you know, the 47% of Americans that Mitt Romney despises so much).
For my part, since America already is a welfare state whose recipients are the super wealthy, why not help the poor as well? If Monsanto and Pfizer and Halliburton get to suckle at the teat, why not throw a few food stamps to someone like me, who has fallen on some pretty hard times of late (and trust me, mine are a walk in the park compared to millions of Americans less fortunate than I)?
To cite Jimmy Carter, you don’t get to claim on the one hand that America is a nation founded on Christian values, while espousing the hatred of the poor and the stranger that often masquerades as GOP politics these days.
(We discuss the issue a bit in our last podcast, click below to listen.)
Christian
Reminds me of one of my favorite Stephen Colbert quotes:
Stephen
I absolutely agree, and this is the primary reason that I will not vote for a Republican.
Cody
Hey, Guys. Love the podcast.
This is one argument I hear/read a lot. That is, the idea that Christians should automatically be in favor of a giant welfare state or socialized everything because Jesus says to love the poor. There is a big difference between personal acts of charity (me, voluntarily giving my own assets to someone in need), and money being forcibly taken from me (and others) to give to people who may or may not actually be in need.
If I rob you at gunpoint on the street so that I can give to the Red Cross, am I following the teachings of Christ?
Your point about corporate welfare is right on, though.
Full disclosure: I don’t identify as a Christian, but I don’t like that many of my religious friends and family are painted in a negative light because they don’t support an impersonal welfare state executed by a giant, inneffective monolith.
Jason
Hey Cody,
I agree with you, but the problem is that no one individual is able to fund a public school- or health care system. If these things are to be provided, they simply have to be provided via the state levying taxes.
For my part, I am happy to contribute to the social safety net by means of paying tax, since I am thereby helping care for those with less than I have. What I have a problem with, tax-wise, is when my money is used to fund illegal wars, thereby lining the pockets of Halliburton execs, etc.
Thanks for listening!