Grading Our Democracy

The other night at the New Orleans Cafe in Pioneer Square, my friend Jerry Carlson asked me -- out of the blue -- "what grade would you give our democracy?" Non-plussed and stalling for time, I protested that we shouldn't and couldn't talk over the wonderful music of Clarence Acox's Legacy Quartet. But the question fermented, and the more I've thought, the more disillusioned I've become, having started out at a C+ and steadily worked down to a solid D. I'd have given us a C+ in 1960, a B- in 1950, a B+ in 1935, an A- on August 18th, 1920.

First, what would constitute an “A” democracy?

• A balance between individual citizens and institutions – unions, corporations, churches, universities, hospitals, and professional organizations;


• legislators (local, state and federal) who represent their constituents --all their constituents -- not just those who voted for them and not just donors to their campaigns;


• legislators who balance civic good with partisan interests;


• equality of responsibility and accountability between legislative, executive and judicial branches of government;


• an elastic constitution that establishes a respected rule of law and an even playing field for all;


• external policies that do not seek to impose its norms and beliefs on others;


• and citizens that are educated and energized to seek civic as well as personal well-being.

So how are we doing?

• Our youngest generation of voters are less well educated than their elders, and the generation to come even more poorly so.


• We have become more interested in “me” than in “us”, a result of cultural and economic pressures.


• Through states of constant crisis (depression, WWII, cold war, Korea, Viet Nam, civil rights turmoil, Latin American instabilities, oil crises, Iranian hostage taking, runaway inflation, Desert Storm, 9/11, the bogus "war on terror", Afghanistan, Iraq, and Afghanistan again) power and policy initiatives have become centralized in the executive branch. Madison said (1795) “No nation can preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare."


• Congress has abdicated its responsibility and sunk into ideological bickering.


• The courts have strengthened the power of institutions vis-à-vis individuals.


• Legislators, especially in Congress, more often than not put donors ahead of constituents, and more often than not those donors are neither voters nor residents in the representative’s district or state.


• Our constitution has not yet dealt with concentrations of wealth and power in institutions; corporations, in particular, were not a factor in the thinking of our founders.

I hadn't realized that I saw through such negative prisms. But I am not pessimistic. We muddle through. The American dream still unifies us. We will awaken to these realities, agree they are unacceptable, and determine to reform, reallocate our resources, and earn higher grades once again. I only hope to see it and play my small part in what time I have left.

What Would Jesus Cut?

A church in my neighborhood on the Island posted that question on its message board last week: What would Jesus cut?

You’ve seen the like before: bumper stickers “what would Jesus say?” or “what would Jesus bomb?” A homemade billboard on some country road: “Jesus is coming and he is pissed!”

But the question nagged at me. With the budget battle heating up between Rep. Ryan’s and Pres. Obama’s quite opposing budget visions, between John Boehner’s bobble-heads and Senator Reids rummies; and since they all agree that we need to make cuts ... and since Ryan and Obama, Boehner and Reid oft proclaim their rock-solid Christianity ...it seems to me that the church’s question merits serious consideration, some reflection, and in my case (since I am not a practicing Christian)some research.

Well, here is what I found in reviewing several collections of Christ’s statements, sermons, and parables:

Put up again thy sword into its place (Mth 26)…. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Mth 5.)

This and His many statements throughout the four Gospels and Book of Acts … loving one’s enemies, turning the other cheek and so on … suggest strongly to me that considering his values, and its size, the Defense Dept. would be the center of His budget-cutting bull’s eye. No way would Defense be "off the table."

Hand-in-hand with the growth of our War Dept. plus the cost of our dual wars since 9/11 has been an explosive growth in intelligence services and security contracts. The Washington post documented that no one knows how much we are spending on this Gargantua of secrecy and security. His view?
For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed: nor hidden that shall not be known. For whatsoever things you have spoken in darkness shall be published in the light: and that which you have spoken in the ear in the chambers shall be preached on the housetops. (Lk 12)
Christ would dismantle much of the security apparatus as waste and reap major savings in the process. And He’d cheer on Wikkileaks.

What of Education, the Department which tea-party types love to hate? Jesus, even as a child, was drawn to the rabbis.
But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Mth 5)… Suffer the little children to come unto me (Lk 18)…. Go therefore, teach ye. (Mth 28) …We adore that which we know. (Jhn 4)
No, He would not cut education. If anything, He’d reinvest some of His Defense and Security savings into Education.

That hot button, Healthcare?
I will come and heal him… (Mth 8; really, we need Him to come and heal the politicians.) They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are ill…. (Lk 2, Mth 5) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers…. (Mth 10) And heal the sick. (Lk 9)
Now, I can’t tell from this that He would or would not favor federally mandated health insurance nor what his attitude might be about death panels. I daresay, the healthcare conundrum might perplex even Jesus.
But … it doesn’t seem likely that he would welcome waste nor deny anyone needing health care.

One part of the health cost puzzle might become clear: malpractice awards:
Woe to you, lawyers…. You yourselves have not entered in: and those that were entering in, you have hindered. Woe to you lawyers, also, because you load men with burdens which they cannot bear. (Lk 11)
Ouch!

The US is becoming an agricultural export economy. What of agricultural subsidies?
No man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. (Lk 9)
I take this to mean looking back over his shoulder for a hand-out; He’d cut subsidies.

But how do we bring in the crops? Where might He stand on immigration and the burgeoning budget of the Immigration and Naturalization Service?
The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. (Mth 9) It is one man that soweth, and it is another that reapeth. (Jhn 4) Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he send labourers into his harvest, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. (Lk 10, Jhn 4)

Foreign Aid?: Oh my, His views here are crystal clear: aid even to those who resent us.
Go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor. (Mk 10) But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you. (Mth 5, Lk 6)

Now, when it comes to wealth, His views are a bit confusing. On the one hand…
Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth….(Mth 6) Do not possess gold, nor silver, nor money in your purse….(Mth 10) A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom. (Mth 19)
But on the other hand, Jesus clearly wanted capital to be put to work. He relates in Mathew (25) and Luke (19) a long parable of the master who blessed and richly rewarded the servants who doubled the talents he left in their care and punished the servant who did not invest wisely on the master’s behalf. He applauds capital gains.

Yet He wants those gains to be used for others. How? Individually, of course, through charity, and, in the case of foreign aid or health care systems, through our communal government.
Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. (Lk 20, Mk 12)

Inheritance tax?:
a man's life doth not consist in the abundance of things which he possesseth. (Lk 12)

I can only surmise that he would not remove the charitable deduction, nor cut inheritance taxes, nor capital gains taxes, nor eschew a tax on the wealthy … if … if he could re-invest those taxes in education, health care, foreign aid...
And in debt-reduction. He would seek to pay down the debt.
Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing. (Mth 5)

Well, to be sure, the Bible is a book of ambiguities. No doubt Michele Bachman or Mike Huckabee would find Old Testament quotes to lead them to quite different conclusions than these. But if one scans over Jesus’ own words, if one reflects on the New Testament of His life, it’s hard not to come to the conclusions I have drawn.

I hope Obama, Ryan, Boehner and Reid really mean it when they profess to honor the values and lessons of this great teacher. I hope they ask themselves

What Would Jesus Cut?