Economic Anathema!

The recently introduced Republican budget is economic anathema to the vast majority of our nation's citizenry! The middle and lower classes, along with the most vulnerable are treated as expendable tripe; whereas the corporate and upper power groups are provided with succulent steak and lobster delicacies, laughing as they sail away on their yachts and drink martinis lounging in their private jets flying to the Cote Azure on the Mediterranean.

I would presume that a majority of these moral pygmies are church going folks, faithfully listening to their pastors and priests babble about living righteously and responsibly in the gracious forgiveness and love of a prosperity god of gold, comfortably convinced they are doing God's work. They have been fooled! This budget is anathema to God and to anything similar to following Jesus! Jesus would puke! Grace and Gospel are snuffed! Profit and pride are worshipped! 

What is this dastardly slight of hand economic patriotism?  I am grateful to Robert Reich for outlining the scandalous low lights:

1) Huge cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and Pell grants to college

students from poor families, decimating programs for the poor

2) Cuts to federal aid to education

3) Turns Medicare into a voucher system which does not keep

up with expected increases in health care costs

4) Repeals Obamacare which is now providing 16.4 million people

with health care which they did not have previously

5) Boosts military spending by nearly $40 billion next year

through off-budget war funding (remember how we funded the Iraq War)

6) Increases military spending in subsequent years while further

cutting domestic discretionary spending

7) Doesn't raise a dime of taxes on the wealthy and doesn't close any

loopholes used by the rich

This budget needs a wrecking ball! In the paraphrased words of Bruce Springsteen: "We [need to] take care of our own." By taking care of ourselves we can take better care of the world.

All of these proposals create more economic inequality. It is economic inequality that weakens our nation because it crushes hope and opportunity for the overwhelming majority of people's lives. In their book, THE SPIRIT LEVEL, Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkenson state the "Index of child well-being in rich countries is related to inequality....[Economic inequality] creates more inequality which in turn creates more health care and social problems." Trickle down doesn't trickle down. Luxury for the few is not justice for the many.

This budget continues to feed the maw of a ravishing military machine. Our military budget overly consumes our nation's future quality of life and moral standing. We spend more than almost all other nations in the world "combined!" Yet, we cut out the muscle and soul of our people by stripping resources for personal development. We are becoming a nation of beggars through our own faulty budget priorities. 98% of our people are road kill for the limousine drivers and coiffed ladies and men of luxury.

Unless we repent and focus our resources on what is good for ALL, we will fall with our destination the Babylon of indignation! All that is good about the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution will be memories in the winds of history. Indeed, we have taken giant strides towards that "nether" already. The words of Amos are spot on for America:

"Thus says the Lord: For the three transgressions...and for four,

I will not revoke punishment....So, I will press you down in your place."

Amos 1:3, 1:6, 1:9, 1;11, 1:13, 2:1, 2:4, 2:6

"Create in [us] a clean heart, O God, 

and renew a right spirit within us."

Psalm 51:1