Budgets as Moral Documents

I have purposely shied away from politics on this blog because the current state of political discussion tends to be poor. Hopefully, this will elevate it somewhat. The trigger for this particular entry is a WP article entitled "House GOP Leaders Set to Cut Spending" Since I have also been writing on the words of the prophet Isaiah the juxtaposition seems quite appropriate.

I've been reading through Jim Wallaces' "God's Politics" (which I'll review when I've finished - currently I give it "mixed") but one thing that Wallace argues is that governmental budgets are moral documents reflecting the values of the citizens under those governments. I would agree. While I am all for fiscal responsibility, I think that means attempting to live within your means, prioritizing expenditures and if you can't afford to purchase everything you want, cutting those things which are least important. Borrowing may be necessary, either for investment or short-term needs, but it isn't a long term strategy for success.

Additionally, in government terms, citizens may be called to sacrifice income (taxes) for the greater good of the country. Infrastructure, social safety nets, education, defense, natural monopolies, etc. don't neatly fall into private sector responsibilities either because there is no economic incentive to pursue them or removing the profit motive provides a greater benefit to the majority of citizens.

That being said, the current GOP budget is just plain shameful. It attempts to permanently seal in the tax breaks to wealthier citizens and abolish the estate tax (again a benefit to mostly wealthy citizens) while cutting spending on food stamps and Medicaid which benefit the poor. Food stamps?!?!?! And the irony is this is to offset hurricane relief. It feels like robbing Peter to pay Paul. If we are unable to spend money to protect our most vulnerable citizens from hunger and illness, what does that say about us? Where is our compassion? Is it held out only for those who are suffering under a "tax burden"? I fear that our priorities are confused and this budget reflects not a heart of compassion, but a heart of greed and corruption. If we are going to start cutting (and why not ask for a modest sacrifice as well?) maybe we should start with our nuclear weapons programs, our pork barrel spending and corporate welfare. Going after the poor and disenfranchised is just plain wrong.

"Stop doing wrong,
¹⁷ learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow."

Isaiah 1:16b-17 (NIV)