As we contemplate the fact that Republicans are arguing for the largest U.S. government interference in the free markets in our nation's history--a bailout just shy of being equal to the entire US debt when Ronald Reagan became President--Democrats MUST speak out on this issue and challenge Republicans on their hypocrisy, failed economic programs, and broken values that have led us to this point.
Before I get into the values issue, let me provide a few facts about what the failed Republican economic policies have wrought: Despite budget surpluses and debt reduction during the
The result is that over 10% of the
And now the Republicans want a $700 BILLION bailout for Wall Street (this following on the heels of the hundreds of billions already spent to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and AIG). If ever there was a time to start talking values, now is it. Economics, budgets, tax policy, jobs...these are all value issues.
Remember when Bush vetoed the $7 billion-a-year expansion of SCHIP that would have provided healthcare to over 4.1 million uninsured children because it was "too expensive"? So here are the values of Republican leaders: A $700 billion bailout of Wall Street--something we must act on immediately--but spending1% of that amount to keep parents of 4.1 million American children from having to face the soul-crushing realization that they cannot afford the treatment necessary to make their sick child well--not worth the price. As Jesus said, where your treasure is, there your heart is also.
Time and again, when we talk about marriage, birth control, etc., Republicans and their advocates on the extreme religious right line up to claim self-righteously that they cannot leave their faith at the door when it comes to legislating on these issues. They argue that the state must intervene to ensure that our country places God above our selfish and sinful desires. But now that we are talking about economic policy, about taxes, and about bailing out the richest Americans and making regular tax payers foot the bill, that open expression of faith is silent...a silence that speaks volumes.
We need to ask Republicans and their conservative allies the same question again and again. Why it is that as soon as we start talking about the economy, jobs, government spending, and taxes, Republicans put away their Bibles and turn instead to Darwinian social and economic theories to support their policy positions?
As Democrats, it is not our place to judge the depth or source of our political opponents' faith. It would be much better if instead of focusing on attacking their appeals to faith on their pet wedge issues, we simply challenged them to continue their faith-laden dialogue as we discuss the Bush proposal of a $700 billion dollar bailout of Wall Street.
Here are a few of many passages they might find useful when they do:
"The poor are shunned by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends." Proverbs 14:20
"Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless. The widow's cause does not come before them." Isaiah 1:23
"My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have insulted the poor." James 2:1-6
"Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices...but you neglect the more important matters of the Law--justice, mercy, and faithfulness...You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. On the outside you appear to people as righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness" Matthew 23:23-28
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This article could have been written years ago, just change the dollar amounts mad-libs style. Neocons own the Republican party and conservatives aren't welcome.
It is prudent to note that the bailout does not limit the purchases to $700 billion. "The Secretary’s authority to purchase mortgage-related assets under this Act shall be limited to $700,000,000,000 outstanding at any one time". That's just a rolling maximum, with apparently no total limit. They also had the good foresight to ban any oversight on Paulson's actions.
"Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency".
Noodle,
A few quick comments in reply. True that we don’t know exactly what the final price-tag will be for this bailout. It could be more or less than $700B. But we need to keep in mind that the market wouldn’t touch these products the government is taking over, despite their supposedly being undervalued. So we have to expect to take a huge hit on these bailouts or the market would be taking the risk.
The way one figures government spending is to look at what things cost...not their return. Otherwise, education spending and preventative medicine for children would have no cost. Republicans always talk about the cost now when arguing for cutting those programs, not what we can expect to get in return. So we should apply the same standards to this case…especially, since there is every chance that the price tag could be even greater than the $700 billion.
Greed is definitely not limited to Republican leaders. It’s just that this administration has taken greed and abuse of power to new heights and seems to have completely thrown out the idea of government leaders as stewards and instead has used their power to enrich their friends and launch wars they have always dreamed of…I guess, to be fair, one can never truly know another’s heart or motivations...but if it is true that they can be known by their fruits, then my critique stands on pretty firm ground.
It is your final paragraph though that I feel needs the most attention. As I said in a previous post, anyone truly interested in saving the unborn would be voting Dem since Democrats are the only party that has actually done anything about the problem. As with government spending, abortions decreased more under Clinton than any of the “pro-Life” Republican administrations, and Democrats in Congress are the ones pushing legislation that will significantly reduce abortions.
It’s interesting you’d ask where in scripture it says government should take money from the rich to give to the poor…it actually does say that (see below), but that is not why I think we should support children’s healthcare or school lunches or food stamps. The Bible definitely never says that the government should prevent gay marriage or stop abortions or prevent people in Africa from using condoms. When Republicans argue for those positions, they do so b/c of their Christian values that they draw from teachings in scripture. Every government action is a values decision, and although I may disagree with some of their Biblical interpretations on certain points, I would not question their ability to legislate based on their values. But if they are going to claim Christian values on those issue, it is hypocritical not to do so on the others. We’re not Christians only in the bedroom.
There are only two times in the Bible when Jesus talks about the specifics of why and on what we will be judged: Lazarus and the Rich Man and The Sheep and the Goats. Jesus makes it quite clear that he will judge based on how those with much (power, money, time, etc) treat those with little. And check out the policies implied by Isaiah’s vision of what God’s kingdom would look like in Is 65. So if we’re going to talk at all about using Christian values in government (and the Republicans are intent on doing so), it seems to me that the government programs that help the least of these should be pretty high on the list of priorities…after all, the American programs we are talking about carry a much lower standard than what the Bible says elsewhere (fist from the Law and then Jeremiah speaking to the king):
“Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants…in this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property…the land must not be sold permanently because the land is mine and you are but aliens and tenants…if one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells property…what he sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Jubilee, and he can then go back to his property”
"Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. 16He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the Lord. 17"But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion"
If you want to know the total cost and also the returns of the bailouts, add the $$ benefit of not having a slew of bank failures.
I disagree with your intepretation of Scripture. You seem to be saying the end justifies the means: Jesus said the strong must care for the weak, therefore the federal government must take care of the weak.
And even then, the federal government already does take care of the weak, perhaps not as much as you would like it too. Critics of Republicans seem to ignore the billions already taken from the highest income earners and used in government programs today.
How much is enough? Can it be that simple that a $3 billion program we already have should be, by a Republican's view, a $2.5 billion program, and by a Democrat's view a $3.5 billion program? How can this (relatively small) difference somehow make us more worthy vis a vis Scripture? What dollar level gets you into that society where the strong really care for the poor?
Since it is the highest income earners who have benefited the most from the fruits of a strong government that creates order, protects their wealth, creates the infrastructure wealth is built upon and educates the workforce that makes it possible, it is logical that the rich would pay the most. After all, from those to whom much is given…
But you are definitely correct that government cannot bring about the kingdom. That is up to God and the Church, and all government can do is stem the damage of the fallen world in the meantime.
My point is simply that it strikes me as somewhat disingenuous that the values language and citations of scripture dry up on the Republican side each time we talk about the issue that Jesus and the prophets spent so much of their time and attention on. All I’m asking for is consistency if politicians are going to play the faith and values card.
If a Party is going to claim to be pro-Life, why does it stop caring about those lives as soon as a child is out of the womb? If Bush’s favorite philosopher really is Jesus, then why has Bush done so little help those whom Jesus talked about more than any other topic save the kingdom?
I’m not making claims of righteousness on the Democratic side but simply calling the other side to live up to their rhetoric. It was the Moral Majority and Republicans (especially our current president) who claimed the mantel of faith. I just think it is important to make sure that if Republicans are going to don that mantel when they need to score a few political points that they aren't allowed to set it aside whenever it starts to get uncomfortable.
Eric,
Great article and really articulate and accurate responses to your (apparently) Republican opponent. As former theology student and minister, I have spent many hours trying to help people understand the importance of economic justice in biblical writings. You summed up the major points beautifully.
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