Our Shared (wrong) Perceptions of Political Economics

I wrote this article over two years ago but just didn't feel like the time was the right to release it. I think the time is now. I sincerely hope these thoughts simply help many people navigate their way through the often-confusing, muddy waters of modern politics. Enjoy!   - Daniel

 

Politics is not the answer.

    At least not in the traditional way we tend to think about politics. For some reason, we have summed all of life's issues, beliefs, and hopes for the future into two major categories with a few different names that we tend to use interchangeably: Democratic or Republican; Left or Right; Liberal or Conservative.

    Just to set the record straight: I don't consider myself an authority or brilliant prodigy in the area of political understanding, as I am a simple musician and small-business owner. I submit the following thoughts as a 28-year old learning to navigate my way through this world in which everyone seems to have taken up arms on one side or the other on the battle lines of politics as we all do our best to make this world a better place for ourselves and our children. My thoughts make the following assumptions:

1. We all want to be personally successful financially.
2. We all want to be a part of a society that encourages business and economic growth while providing assistance for people who may need help getting back up on their feet who have suffered a tough blow in life.

    I would like to clarify that the following summaries are not necessarily viewpoints I personally hold, but are a brief interpretation of how each side sees each other. I am hoping to show both the differences and the similarities in hopes that we might discover A BETTER WAY.

The way Democrats see Republican Economics

•  The lines between the Rich and Poor get further and further apart as the Rich get richer and the Poor get poorer, or at best, stay at the same economic level.
• The Rich become more secure in their positions of wealth and power due to lower taxes, conveniently favorable government regulations (Hello, K Street.), and by leveraging their assets to insure they stay secure in their current position while meanwhile expanding their wealth, power, and influence.
• The Poor are pigeon-holed into accepting subsistent, menial living as their "lot in life." They become "victims of a corrupt system" that is built to ensure they stay where they are at with no chance or hope of a shot at success in any significant way, economically speaking.
• The system favors dissolution of the Middle Class as the lines of Rich and Poor invariably get farther and farther apart.
• Bottom line: Only the Rich get any sort of meaningful shot in life while the Poor are forever stuck in their place at the bottom rungs of the ladder of the financial system.

The way Republicans see Democrat Economics

•  The lines between the Rich and Poor get closer and closer as the Rich become poorer and the Poor become richer.
• The Rich end up at the higher-end of a massive Middle Class as taxes are consistently increased which result in the Rich’s funds being reallocated from the private sector into public works and welfare programs. Government bureaucrats create far-reaching laws and regulations which constrict business growth, remove incentives for innovation and reward laziness. 
• The Poor enjoy increased quality-of-life as citizens of the new Middle Class with incredibly easy access to government-subsidized healthcare, schooling, food, and housing—just to name a few—along with numerous other benefits provided by the government at virtually no cost to the user.
• The system results in the dissolution of both the super-poor and super-rich categories, yielding one large Middle Class as the lines of Rich and Poor become inevitably closer and closer. How long this system could viably last, however, before collapsing under it's own weight is anybody's guess.
• Bottom line: Everyone gets an equal shot in life so long as the system continues to function. Which probably won't be very long.

Either way, we end up in the ditch...

    Let’s face it—both sides have good intentions to start with, but in their extremes, result in the same conclusion displayed different ways: greed sets into the hearts of the small percentage of people at the top who call the shots. These few people then leverage their power, wealth, and authority for their own benefit which generally results in ruining life for the large percentage of people entrusted to their care. We can yell, scream, take up arms, and go to battle against each other all we want, but if we as a society lack the conviction that comes with having a moral compass and an adherence to tried-and-true virtues we will end up in one ditch or the other on the road of Life.

    Just like the great societies and empires that have risen and fallen throughout human history, we will suffer the same fate as our society succumbs to the cancer that we ourselves have both created and voluntarily propagated. This disease is called SIN, which calls to the dark, twisted side of our human nature and causes us to desire the poisonous things of life that may feel good for a time, but ultimately leads us to our complete and utter destruction. It is life lived devoid of the goodness of God and the principles found in his Word.

The Gold Standard: God's Plan for Successful Economics

    The simple truth is this: God has created us in his image and we are made to constantly learn, grow, create, and improve ourselves in such a way that we constantly become more like him. Our nature becomes more and more like His nature. Our character becomes more and more like His character. We exchange our natural abilities for his supernatural abilities. Don’t believe me? See what he has to say about it in his Word:

    2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord--who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” (NLT)

    If we are being made more and more like God and are being changed into his glorious image then the question arises, “What is God’s nature like?” Interestingly enough, God himself personally provided us with the answer to that question in His Word:

    “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8 (NKJV)

    “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)

    “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.” 1 John 1:5 (NLT)

    When we understand who God is, what God has done for us, and who God has made us to be, we find ourselves in a perpetual and dynamic state of both growth and giving as we become more and more like him. It is not only financial—but spiritual, emotional, and physical, encompassing every area of life. In fact, He promises to take us from “glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV) and from “strength to strength.” (Psalm 84:7, NIV) God’s nature is abundance and He has placed that same character trait within us and given us the Grace to nurture that abundance, along with every other Godly character trait into fruition in our lives. This abundance, in turn manifests itself in our homes, our families, our work, and our societies. And when we live this way, we find ourselves in the position of being able to help others, which is one of the greatest blessings we can experience. As it says in Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than receive.” (NLT)

    Now, here’s the catch: we first have to have the veil lifted from our eyes in order to get this whole process started. And how do we remove the veil from our eyes? Again—the answer is STUPID SIMPLE. Just before God gives us the amazing promise of being transformed into his image, He first gives us this important key:

    “But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NLT)

    Do you want to be free? Do you want all of the amazing characteristics and character traits found within the nature of God to be increased in through your life? Do you want his abundance to flow through you and inspire hope not only in yourself but in every person your life touches? Than the answer is simple: turn to the Lord. Make His ways your ways. And the good news is you’re not alone. He has promised to be with you and help you with this process.

    I fully believe that if we, both individually and as a society, embrace the Will of God to make us more and more into his image; if we yield ourselves to this process and embrace the teachings of his Word and the virtues found within it; our futures will only get brighter and brighter.

© 2014 Daniel Mow