We Get the Government We Deserve

One of the statements that I hear uttered quite frequently from talk show hosts such as Bill Cunningham, for example, some preachers, and other people is the statement "You get the government you deserve." I've also heard the statement made that the government officials we elect are a reflection of the people at large in the country. I've struggled with the former statement for no other reason because of my paying attention to politics extensively the last several years. I've paid attention to government when the Republican Party had control of all three branches of government as well as to government now with all three branches of government under the control of the Democrats. I will say even though the national Democratic Party is socialistic to the core, there's not really any substantive difference between the two parties. I know radio talk show host Mark Levin would dispute my claim but I say that based on the fact that the Republican Party is a party that stands for nothing. They don't champion conservative values. They give lip service to that, but in reality when it comes to politics, they are part of the crowd. I've heard talk show host Jim Sumpter make the claim that the Republicans are co-conspirators along with the Democrats because the Republicans are witnesses to the destruction of our country but aren't making much noise. I do agree that if the Republican Party was in power they wouldn't pass the behemoth healthcare bill that this Congress and President Obama passed. However, the Republicans will hurt you in other ways. The Republican Party would definitely pass an amnesty bill for illegal aliens if they were in power because huge corporations desire illegals for cheap labor, for example. Both parties are taking this country down the same path. The only difference is the Democrats are taking us to the new world order on steroids. President Obama is quickening the pace in bringing us to a place where we'll forced to accept global governance or the new world order.

Yesterday I had written a post entitled, "Liberty Must be Accompanied by Responsibility." When I was writing that post, some things began to make sense to me. First of all, I do recognize that when it comes to the election process, we don't have much of a choice on who to vote for, especially in the general election. Most of the time when it comes to presidential elections it's Democrat vs. Democrat-lite (Republican). It's the lesser of two evils we're forced to choose. However, when it comes to voting, it's imperative that Americans vote in the primary and not wait until the general election to vote. It's too late to wait until the general election to vote. We have better choices when we are choosing a nominee for the respective parties during the primary than during the general election. During the general election, the only choices we have are the nominees of both the Democrat and Republican parties and both candidates are the run-of-the mill, establishment candidates. There's not much choice there.

I recognize there are many things that transpire in Congress the average American doesn't approve of. I will admit that much of the legislation that Congress passes many Americans don't favor such as the latest healthcare bill passed in March. Many Americans also don't accept open borders and granting amnesty to illegal aliens. Most Americans believe our borders should be secured to protect the safety of America's citizens. I'm sure most Americans wouldn't agree with the massive spending taking place in Congress. Most Americans also don't believe in staying in two protracted wars if there's no agenda to win the war as quickly as possible. There are many things that the average American wouldn't approve of when it comes to Congress and President Obama. In the midst of everything I just mentioned, I'm afraid I will have to admit we "get the government we deserve." Why?

There are a number of reasons why we as Americans get the type of government we deserve. Proverbs 14:34 says, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." The foundation of America was built on Judeo Christian principles. Our Puritan and Pilgrim forefathers came to this land to settle in Massachusetts to dedicate this country to the Lord. They came for the express purpose of the freedom to worship as they saw fit. They came and built churches and honored God. That by no means suggest they were perfect nor were all their actions proper or Biblical. They made their share of mistakes like any other religious group. However, they had a fear of God and they believed people should honor God. They believed the laws of government should reflect the laws of God. They believed government was to execute justice and punish the wrongdoers; a far cry from today's modern government. Even years after the Puritans had passed off the scene, we've had generations of Americans that honored God. They would be faithful to honor the Lord's day which is Sunday and attend church. How do many Americans treat Sunday in this hour? Sunday in this hour is just another normal day of the week. Take a look at what the average American or professing Christian is doing on Sunday morning when it's time to attend the House of God. Some of them will go to the lake or the beaches to spend the day. Some will take their boats with them to go boating. Others will go to some theme park. Instead of attending the House of God, many people will be participating in pleasurable activities. God doesn't come into the thought life of the average individual unless trouble comes their way.

Take a look at the spiritual condition of many churches in America today. How many churches can you find in your local community which will preach the unadulterated Word of God without compromise? How many of those same churches experience the realness of the presence of God? Not many. Most places that call themselves the House of God have become nothing but a clown show or a theater. That's one of the reasons why there's so much Biblical illiteracy. People don't hear much preaching of the Bible. The church has become worldly. It doesn't stand for Biblical holiness. And we wonder why America is in the shape she's in. People aren't going to live above the preaching they're presented with in their local congregation. If the church is supposed to be the standard and the standards that are already present in the churches are very worldly to begin with, why should we be surprised that the average American thinks the way they do? When people head to the voting booth, they don't think about voting for an elected official that will stand for Christian principles that built this nation over two centuries ago. They think about what government programs they'll receive if they vote for a particular candidate. They never view the whole picture and vote for the candidate that's most likely to uphold God, country, and the Constitution. This is the theme I feel is important when it comes to voting for an elected official. Today when we vote for a politician we think, "What will they do to improve my economic condition?" The truth of the matter is there's not much they can do to improve our economic condition other than to create an atmosphere which will be conducive to creating a competitive free market environment. The answer to creating jobs is the private sector. The best thing government can do is to stop hindering the private sector with its burdensome tax policies and foolish regulations that would inhibit job creation.

Yesterday I brought up the point that in today's America we desire liberty divorced from responsibility. We've been producing that type of thinking in America ever since the hippie generation in the 1960's. Every generation seems to progressively become worse when it comes to the area of responsibility. The last few generations have thought of nothing but living a life that's full of pleausure. There's nothing wrong with pleasure to a point. However, you can't spend your entire life traveling to Holiday World Theme Park everyday. There are people that have that type of mentality. They want to have "fun" everyday. However, there are responsibilities that must be fulfilled on a daily basis. There's work that must be accomplished. We have our daily responsibilities to head to work to provide a living. There are chores that have to be completed at home. We have to pay our bills on a timely basis and there's periodic maintenance that must be done both at home and anything that we own. That's just a part of life. Today's generation thinks about going out and having a party on the weekends. Everything's about "me." Back in the 70's there was a group of people in America called the "Me Generation" because life revolved around "me" to some people. You can see that when it comes to loyalty whether around the job or in church for example. Over the years I've worked I've known a number of people that would call in work for no apparent reason. They just didn't want to come to work. That's the same with church. Whenever church services are taking place, there are people that aren't faithful in attendance. There's a great lack of loyalty today in this country. We're so wrapped up in ourselves that our God-given responsibilities are thrown out the back window.

The tragedy of this lack of responsibility on the part of many Americans today is that it will result in the further loss of freedom. Freedom demands responsbility. A person's not free if he's not temperate in all things. Whenever crises happen due to a lack of responsibility on somebody's part, the government will use that as an excuse to pass legislation to further clamp down on our freedoms. It appears that may happen in the case with BP and the Gulf oil spill. From what I've heard on the news, BP was careless and made ridiculous shortcuts when drilling for the Deepwater Horizon oil well. As a result of the explosion and BP's failed attempt to cap all the well, the government will probably use this as an excuse to nationalize the oil companies as well as to pass a cap and trade bill. A lack of responsibility on the part of the citizens will result in the government removing our freedoms. That happens all the time. We must exercise responsibility with the liberties we possess. Liberty demands vigilance.

Another reason why we get the government we deserve is the result of the apathy among many voters today. There are many voters that don't voter regularly. Some of them that do vote wait until the general election to vote. That's too late. The election in which you have the choice of candidates to vote for is the primary election. Both political parties will run candidates vying for the nomination of each party. By the time the general election rolls around, the only choices you have are the Democratic candidate and the Democrat-lite (Republican) candidate who are establishment candidates. You hardly don't have a choice when you wait until the general election to vote. If voters would vote in droves during the primary season, then the choices we would have in the general election would be much greater. However, a lack of apathy among voters is why we don't have much in the way of choices to vote for in the general election. In many elections voter turnout is less than half the registered voters. That's appalling. Outside of the 2008 election, the highest participatory election was the 1960 presidential election in which John F. Kennedy was elected president. When voters are apathetic and won't vote, then we're going to have the type of candidates we presently have that are in office today. We as voters need to become more involved in the political process by voting and even writing to our Senators and Congressmen. Writing to my Senators and Congressman is something that I fail to do. I'm faithful about voting, but I fail to write to my Senators and Congressmen. However, that's something everyone (including myself) need to do. Thankfully, there has been a group of Americans since last year joining up with the Tea Party movement standing for constitutional principles. However, if the Tea Party is going to thrive, it needs a leader to head the movement as well as the Tea Party needs to define itself and the principles it embraces. We need groups such as the Tea Party taking a stand if our country is going to have a chance to turn around.

The reason why America has enjoyed the liberty it has enjoyed for over two centuries is due to a group of Americans throughout time that has understood what liberty meant. They never interpreted liberty as a license to live in sin or to live irresponsibly. We've had Americans that loved God and were faithful to the House of God. They were very diligent in their labors. They would help their neighbors if they had a need. They looked out for each other. These people knew that they had to guard their freedoms. Liberty was life to them. They used it to serve God and their country. They recognized there were duties that came as a result of liberty. They were vigilant people. We as Americans need to understand that the liberty we enjoyed was bought with a price. We're losing our freedoms today as a result of forgetting God and divorcing responsibility from liberty. We have people that want to live autonomously without any type of principles guiding their life. That won't work. As a result of forgetting God, loose living, apathy among voters, and divorcing responsibility from liberty, that's why we get the government we deserve.