From: Don Perrett-VP GPA (donperrett@genesisproclaimed.org)
Date: Sun Oct 13 2002 - 06:05:05 EDT
Helping others is not always the issue with some conservatives. It is "HOW"
to help. According to the GAO the government spends about 53% to administer
the AFDC/TANF program. Similar programs ran by NPO, such as Red Cross,
Salvation Army, Churches, etc spend an average of 12% to run their programs.
Is it cost beneficial to through money at the government in an attempt to
help the poor? Sounds worse than MAFIA rates. The money wasted by the
government on these programs is far too much. The dilemma is that the "left"
doesn't want to loose the government jobs/control and the "right" doesn't
want to spend the money. If the amount of money spent were actually going to
the people perhaps the problem would be so great. Someone would need to go
into detail to fix the governmental processes. The "right" doesn't care,
they just want the money to go elsewhere, right. Well then perhaps the
"left" should get up and make the organizational/structural changes needed
to make the programs more effective. Then the "right" would not be able to
cut programs that everyone knows "works". Why don't they? Because if they
did, the number of government jobs(not poor by the way) would be decreased
and therefore they would lose votes. Like biting off ones foot, huh? Point
is: Neither party truly cares. The power they have is all that matters.
Money and power. There are no race/religion/gender/etc problems. The
conflict, as has always been the case, is rich vs poor. Those who have and
those who want. And although no one should have to suffer in poverty and
starvation, let's not forget "Thou shalt not covet". I am definitely in the
lower middle class(nearly poor, was as a child though) and yet I do not want
income tax(national sales tax would hurt me since I get EIC) nor do I want
government help, though I qualify. I am me and that is all that counts. Why
should I question the lot which GOD has given me?
Don Perrett
-----Original Message-----
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu]On
Behalf Of Robert Schneider
Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2002 6:10 AM
To: asa@calvin.edu; Jan de Koning
Subject: Re: Traditional Xtianity teaches
When Jesus said to his disciples, "The poor you will always have with you,"
I think he meant, "so always take care of them and do whatever you can to
allieviate their condition," and not, as so many have read it in order to
justify their doing nothing or opposing government efforts to relieve
poverty, "well, too bad." Matt. 25:31ff is my "intertextual take" on what
Jesus meant.
Bob Schneider
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