The superiority of the conservative philosophy, editorial

It's fair to say that we choose to support various political figures because of their stated positions on issues. Their positions draw our vote, our loyalty, and even perhaps our dollars.

But I wonder, have you ever been so sure about something, so convinced that you understood it, tested it, and lived it, only to discover that it was a lie? Right up to the moment of your discovery, you operated in what you thought was the truth. You believed that this was the way the world worked, but now you are shaken.

So, if you happen to think that politicians are really telling you what they believe, that government is a problem solver for society and is doing all these wonderful and noble things, what would it take to abandon such a belief? In light of our continued economic slide, with government running out of fixes to try, and after decades of politicians promising to fix problems like poverty, racism, and hunger with little or nothing to show for all those tax dollars they spent, why are you still a believer?

We need to understand that politics is not about helping people. It is not about fixing the economy or creating jobs. Feeding the hungry is not the goal. You are being deceived. Politics is about the acquisition, accumulation, retention of power. And if “doing good” happens to coincide with the real goal of getting more power, so much the better.

What is the aim of all this power? Certainly being a politician is an almost guaranteed path to millionaire status, but that is only part of it. They want to remold society according to their vision. They believe that government ought to transform how society works. They believe that they can change the world. They want to force you to change and have you pay for it too.

We might think that they are trying to do “good.” Maybe they even think they are. But the problem is, government power is not limited to doing good. If the wrong people are elected to office, there is nothing to stop them from wielding that power in their own way. We have abandoned the mechanism, constitutional limits, that would rein in that power.

My friend and I had lunch the other day, and he asked me, "Could those who hold elective office simply refuse to step down, essentially overthrowing the government?" We discussed possibilities like imposing martial law, amending the Constitution, delaying or fixing elections, and even a military coup.

I suggested that given the apathy of the American public, a stealth takeover of government could be staged relatively easily. In fact, one could justifiably assert that various moneyed interests like unions and corporations have indeed taken over government. We don’t need to speculate about shadowy secret societies exerting influence, it’s right out in the open.

As government consolidates more and more power for itself, liberty suffers. We become servants the government, not the other way around. With a lot of money at stake, with powerful interests influencing policy, and with career politicians who are willing to do whatever it takes to retain their positions, government has become unmanageable at best, and unstoppable at worst.

This is why a powerful government is the philosophical Achilles’ heel of the political Left. I would suggest that conservative philosophy is therefore superior to liberal philosophy. The conservative wants to restrain and limit government. He distrusts the power of government, even when it might be in his favor. A limited government, when corrupted, can only do limited damage. It is much easier to correct. A limited government has minimal impact on peoples' lives. A limited government cannot steer taxpayer money to special interests.

Big government will turn against you. Sooner or later it does to everyone. That’s why it should be limited.

Warren Buffet - FB conversation

S.B.: gotta love Warren Buffett. "I have worked with investors for 60 years and I have yet to see anyone - not even when capital gains rates were 39.9 percent in 1976-77 - shy away from a sensible investment because of the tax rate on the potential gain," he said Stop coddling the super-rich: Buffett' on Yahoo! News. (Reuters) - Billionaire Warren Buffett urged lawmakers to raise taxes on the country's super-rich to help cut the budget deficit, saying such a move will not hurt investments. 

 Me: Yeah, and Pat Buchanan said that Buffet should stop posturing about tax increases for the rich and write a check for $5 billion to the government. If he wants higher taxes, there is nothing stopping him from doing something about it. 

 L.E.: just tired of the brou-ha-ha... R.B.: Buffet is a communist who has never worked a day in his life. 

B.S.: Too funny, Ryan. Did you actually read the article? One of the points he makes is that people who earn their money by working shouldn't be taxed more than people like him who earn their money from having money. 

 B.S.: Rich - then Pat Buchanan was just reporting what Buffet had already begun - promoted the idea among his close circle of billionaire friends that they give away half their net worth. 

Me: Different subject. There is a cadre of billionaires talking about giving money to charity. Buchanan is talking about Buffet wanting govt to raise taxes on the wealthy. 

B.L.: I agree. The working class should pay less taxes proportionatley than the mega rich. 

M.D.: The middle class is much larger and thus higher taxes on it will raise a lot more revenues. The rich use their money to create jobs 

S.B.: M.D., that's actually not true. If you look at the distribution of wealth (*not incomes) in this country, something like 90% of the wealth is in the hands of fewer than 5% of the people. And increasingly, that wealth is NOT being used to create jobs -- economists note that despite good profitability and record cash reserves, companies are NOT increasing hiring, instead looking to automation and other forms of productivity increases to get the work done. When jobs ARE created, they're increasingly being created overseas, for a wide variety of reasons including the fact that is where the new markets are. If you want to increase jobs, find a way to increase real income for the middle class. That has been flat or worse for decades, and without demand, there's no point in being a supplier. 

Me: It is not the purpose of wealth to create jobs. Jobs are created when there is work to be done. There is no work for 22% of the people, thanks to Bush II and III. By the way, all that wealth is not hidden in a mattress somewhere. 

S.B.: No, much of it is being invested in emerging economies, creating jobs THERE, not here. 

Me: I take it you're an advocate of protectionism and closed borders? 

S.B.: Not really. Just observing that it cannot be taken for granted that wealth accumulated in the us is going to be reinvested here.

Tax code and behavioral modification - Editorial

The tax code was originally intended to fund government, but has morphed into a behavioral modification program. Taxation is routinely used to target certain activities, either to discourage an activity (tobacco taxes, for example), or to encourage it (like the home mortgage deduction). Not content with simply funding government, our legislators think they know how we ought to live, and they reward or punish us based on our conformity with their values.

One way they do this it to fund certain programs or benefits with taxes that are earmarked for that specific purpose. These include campsite fees, gas taxes, tolls, car licenses, Social Security, etc. The stated intent is to make the users of a service pay for it. But I’m sure you know that the real reason government does this is to create new revenue streams while simultaneously leaving the existing revenue structure open for continued manipulation.

This is why the city of Bozeman can keep increasing water and sewer taxes while simultaneously justifying impact fees by saying they keep service costs lower for existing property owners. This makes perfect sense if you love the power government has over the people. As a bonus you get to pretend to help them as you suck money out of their pockets. Diabolical brilliance.

I have this picture of our government officials gathering around a table in the dead of night to invent new ways of prying money out of our hands. They rub their hands together and cackle at their cleverness as they create new burdens for us. “Woohoo, I have an idea. How about if we pass a law that requires everyone to pay a tax on plastic grocery bags?” “Hahahahaha, that’s good, but what about this: Why don’t we make it illegal to smoke in places where people like to come and smoke?” Snorf, chortle, guffaw.

Each new tax, every one a “worthy” cause with compassionate intent, piles on until we taxpayers reel under the burden. Under the guise of improving our lives (at least, improving it according to their priorities), government makes it harder for people to live them. And more expensive.

But the fact is, we just cannot afford this anymore. Government has been riding the crest of prosperity funded by debt, and the carnival is ending. The false prosperity of the Bush years, buoyed by gargantuan spending programs guided by a philosophy of government economic intervention that is traceable back to the New Deal, has led to this latest financial crisis. Ironically, Bush III (Obama) has been content to make no change in the Bush II approach, deepening the financial devastation.

I was guardedly optimistic that the TEA party influence would reverse the tide. I applauded as they stood firm as one bad deal after another paraded by. However, there are just not enough of them to make an impact. And unfortunately, so many caved. All told, 59 freshmen voted for the debt bill and 28 voted against it. Only a few short months and the TEA partiers are now part of the problem.

We watched an elaborate dance with much posturing and bellowing. Boehner wobbled like a tower made of jello, and the Democrats, having no plan on the table, became the party of no. But once again, in the dead of night I’m sure, they cut a sweetheart deal that benefits only government. And yet again, we will pay. Dearly. This deal will add $12 trillion to the national debt over the next ten years. It raised the debt ceiling. There are no cuts, it only lowered rate of increase. Slightly.

Unfortunately, there are still so many of us still cling to this failed system. It’s like trying to squeeze just a little more toothpaste from the empty tube. But it’s time to face the truth. From the City of Bozeman to the feds in D.C., the clever manipulations of government have yielded no answers. We are out of money. It’s time to face reality.

A Manifesto: The Centrality of Worship

Note: My comments specifically address musical worship. That is not the only form that worship takes, but it is my particular passion. This is directed to those who want to be worshipers, in a church that wants to be a worshiping church.

1) The High Calling

As we walk through our Christian life we probably have a number of spiritual priorities. Things like love, obedience, service, giving, and holiness, among other things. All of these are noble and worthy of pursuit. I would not diminish any of them, but I believe they all descend from one single, primary thing.

Jesus tells us the greatest commandment in Matt 22:37: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” As far as I can tell, Jesus identifies only one thing the Father is looking for. Only one. In John 4:23, He tells the Samaritan woman at the well: "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." My conclusion is that there is nothing more important to God than for us to be true worshipers.

This understanding is foundational; here is our high calling. We are created to be worshipers, first and foremost! Our calling is to possess a heart and soul and mind fully occupied with celebrating the glories of God. Psalm 71:8: “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.” I believe that this is our duty, our privilege, our pleasure.

As I read through Scripture I take note of all the mentions of singers, dancers, worshipers, musicians. I see all the pivotal moments where worship was present and powerful. I read about how the musicians were noted specially by name in Scripture. David, Israel’s singer of songs. Jubal, the father of all who play the harp and flute. The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan, who were cymbal players. Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah, who played lyres. Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah on the harps. Kenaniah the head Levite, who was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it. The Bible takes great pains to enumerate the worshipers and musicians. Clearly God regards musical worship as important.

So, I wonder if we are underestimating or misunderstanding the role that musical worship plays in the Kingdom of God. We seem to have a way of doing things in the church that is more based on what we have always done. But shouldn’t we be doing what God wants? If we choose anything other than God’s purpose we violate Scripture, our purpose, and the heart of God. I know these are harsh words, but permit me to make my case in the following pages. Let me also say that none of these remarks are directed at any particular person or group.

2) Worship and Relationship

God is all about relationship. After all, Christ died on the cross in order to establish relationship between God and fallen man. But salvation is not the end, it is the beginning, the beginning of a lifetime of relationship with God via His Holy Spirit. And that developing relationship with God occurs in an environment of worship.

In His presence we discover His heart. We are transformed, enabled, and instructed. We draw near to the Father in the Most Holy Place. There is no way we can be in the presence of God without being changed. The world is washed from us and our weakness fades away. Our spirits become tender to receive from Him. Christ-likeness springs from relationship with Him. We learn what to do and how to live from being with Him. We become what we are called to, because we know Him and spend time with Him and listen to Him and attend to Him.

Our relationship with the Father translates into what our human relationships ought to be. So, as we become the worshipers the Father is looking for, we become the church the Father is looking for. As we nurture our relationship with God we grow together as body. The result is we begin to see the purposes of God made known in our midst. Relationship, first with God and then with each other, will manifest in a church when worship becomes important to the church.

This suggests that worship needs to rise up in importance in our lives.