Thursday, September 20, 2012

Something Smells Fishy!

In a political debate thread on FB the other day, I read the following argument:

Democratic Economic Policy: “Give a man a fish so he can eat for a day”
Republican Economic Policy: “Teach a man to Fish so he can eat for life”.

This is an argument that is made by the GOP all of the time…so much so that people start to believe it. I started thinking about it in depth, and it bothered me. When the politicians, and news programs, and Facebook “arguers” repeat this…most people just let it slide. But if you look at policy, the fishing analogy doesn’t hold water. I have re-written the age-old adage as follows:

Democratic Economic Policy: “Teach a man to fish, help him get a pole and some bait, and he will eat for a lifetime”

Republican Economic Policy: “If a man gets hungry enough, hopefully he will find some fish to eat somewhere…just don’t let him anywhere near my fish”.

Before you go all nuts on me…I did a little research. We all know that Republicans want to cut taxes to help stimulate the economy (that’s another blog). In order to do that…they need to cut government spending. There was a list of funding cuts that the GOP budget proposed: http://www.usnews.com/news/washington-whispers/articles/2011/01/20/house-gop-lists-25-trillion-in-spending-cuts. If you go to the link, you will see (as I did) that are some really good cuts that could, and should be made. (I actually agree that government spending is out of control).

This blog post, however, is not about good budget cuts…it is about the nonsense of the GOP teaching people to fish. The following are some of the programs on the list that are set up to help a guy get out on that fishing trip. These are all programs that the Republicans want to CUT funding for:

Ready to Learn Program ($27 million cut): Findings from a “Ready to Learn 2005-2010" independent research study, conducted under grant funding from the Ready to Learn Television program, found that using combinations of well-designed educational media, including television, websites, and other digital platforms, can be effective in improving literacy skills among low income children, ages 2-8.

A program…specifically designed to help LOW INCOME CHILDREN improve their literacy…and proven to work??? How the HELL is that not teaching the kids to Fish? Seriously?

Corporation for Public Broadcasting ($445 million cut): Basically the same argument as listed above. CPB provides such a service, especially to young children, to supplement more traditional forms of education. It is rooted in developing cognitive skills, and moral values. All without commercials!

National Endowment for the Humanities ($165.5 million cut): Offers grants to #1: Strengthen teaching and learning in schools and colleges. #2: Facilitate research and original scholarship. #3: Provide opportunities for lifelong learning. #4: Preserve and provide access to cultural and educational resources. Seems like there is a lot of good fishing equipment to be found with these grants…no?

U.S. Trade Development Agency ($55 million cut): Helps USA businesses set up trade to export their products and/or services for overseas sales.

Market Access Program ($200 million cut): MAP forms a partnership between non-profit U.S. agricultural trade associations, non-profit U.S. agricultural cooperatives, non-profit state-regional trade groups, small U.S. businesses, and USDA's CCC to share the costs of overseas marketing and promotional activities, such as trade shows, market research, consumer promotions for retail products, technical capacity building, and seminars to educate overseas customers.

SMART ASS COMMENT: The two programs listed above are set up to help businesses, in the USA, market and sell their PRODUCTS overseas through export. This leads to increases in production, and therefore increased jobs. Call me crazy, but I think this is a better plan for Americans than the GOP approach of sending the JOBS oversees. (OK. Got the exaggerated jab at the GOP out of the way)

Community Development Fund (4.5 billion cut) : The CDFI Fund was created for the purpose of promoting economic revitalization and community development through investment in and assistance to community development financial institutions (CDFIs). This is a program that was implemented to help low income communities (you know….the ones that don’t know how to fish) develop their towns and businesses to attract companies (that create Jobs), and provide financial education and counseling (so they can manage the money they make at their jobs) among other things such as affordable housing, and “New Market Tax Credits” as a way to encourage businesses to locate themselves in lower income areas.

These are just a small handful of the programs that, by definition, are designed to give people the skills they need to “fish”. There are many more, that also face the cuts, but I just focussed on a few.

I know there are some pretty committed conservatives reading this…..so I ask you: If the GOP wants to cut these programs, fine. But explain to me how THEY are teaching people how to fish? This is a sincere question that I would really like your input on. As many times as I have heard the good ole’ “We Republicans teach a man how to fish” I have yet to hear one example, of HOW they teach a man to fish?

It really seems to me, that they are not interested in teaching, but rather letting a man either figure it out, or go hungry.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Are "Christians" Christian?

When Jesus was on earth, he didn’t spend all of his time petitioning the government to make laws so everyone would live the way God wanted them to. He didn’t smile and shake a bunch of hands to get elected as King, and then vote yay or nay to legislation that supported the “right” way to live. He didn’t go around trying to force people to act a certain way by picketing and taunting them. INSTEAD, he took the time to develop real relationships with people. ALL people. He made friends with the worst of them. He sacrificed his own wants and needs to be an EXAMPLE of how to live. He loved every person unconditionally, and then gave the credit to his father. Only through this self-sacrifice and love was he able to open people’s hearts so God could enter and change their lives.

Why is it that any Politician that takes two seconds to cast a certain vote is considered a champion for family values and a Christian, despite the way they live and treat others? Why is it that people or organizations that spend millions of dollars to lobby for laws, and hundreds of hours picketing, are considered Christians, despite the fact that they practice hate more than love?

What if all the MONEY spent trying to change a law was invested in counseling and educational programs. What if all of the TIME spent lobbying the government was instead spent developing REAL relationships with troubled youth and showing them how Christ can change a life?

You can’t save a person’s spirit by changing a law or casting a vote. It takes time, patience, and love. I am not a perfect Christian in any way, shape or form. But I try again every day to live the way Christ intended me to.

When you vote, try looking at the PERSON and how they live, not the votes they cast. When you join a church, try looking at how they treat people that are NOT yet Christians. When you meet someone, try showing the love Christ showed the people of his time, regardless of their thoughts or actions. If people claiming to be Christians actually acted the way Christ intended…imagine how many lives could be changed and saved.