Yearly archive: 2008

Does the Truth Matter Anymore?

December 31, 2008, by No comments yet

“The ultimate result of shielding man from the effects of folly is to people the world with fools.”

Herbert Spencer

strawmanIt is slowly occurring to me that the populace in general does not want to hear the truth. Truth doesn’t matter anymore, because oftentimes the truth is a mirror that shows us what we don’t want to see. Whether it be a habit we must change, a characteristic of our lives that must be dealt with, or even a minor thing about ourselves, we resist change when it requires something from us. Barack Obama was elected because of “change we can believe in,” but I truly believe in large part Americans who wanted his style of change simply want more government to take care of things so they don’t have to change. Why else vote for larger government control over compassionate endeavors, health care, and financial security? (By the way, John McCain would have been the same result.) 

This past year I’ve become intrigued with economics, partly because it was (and still is) a baffling subject when viewed on a macro level, and partly because I heard so many attacks on the free market from a so-called “biblical” point of view. So I wanted to get to the root issue and figure out how that works alongside my theology.

In short, I’m learning that straw men are erected by those who wish to pummel free markets and capitalism, primarily by those who gain from the straw man being pummeled. Those who say otherwise are considered “economic fundamentalists” who are without compassion for people. 

I’ve also begun noticing that everything has to become “rocket science”; that is, the economy (we are told) is something so incredibly complex that no simple explanation can be sufficient, nor can the common man understand it, therefore those with power must be the ones to take control and manipulate the outcome of something undesirable. 

If you believe that the free market has yielded what we are experiencing today, you’ve been duped into believing that we actually have a free market at work. If you believe that government regulation is necessary to thwart off greed and corporate selfishness, you are clueless to the amount regulation has actually grown. If you believe that “greed” in the private markets is the heart source of the problems, then you don’t understand the nature of greed and its relationship to power, particularly with regards to political power.

I’d like to recommend this article for consideration as an explanation to why we are in such a crisis. It’s really not that complex. Afterward, I’d recommend the following websites for further consideration:

www.lewrockwell.com

www.mises.org

www.campaignforliberty.com 

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

Sophisticatedly Speaking

December 22, 2008, by 4 comments

Starbucks IV
“Hello, my name is Doug, and I’m a Starbucks-aholic.”

It was never meant to be this way. Coffee was never my thing. Maybe I inherited it from my father, the ever-faithful morning coffee drinker. No sugar, no cream. And when we went hunting each fall, the only thing that could make me desire that disgustingly bitter hot black drink was my freezing bones and four long hours until I could jump back into the truck without losing my masculine pride (all “real men” were avid outdoorsman where I grew up). So with that one exception, I didn’t like coffee.

But all that changed when my college opened up what soon became the campus supplier of legal addictive stimulants for about a thousand students. They served concoctions with titles I can barely remember now, let alone back then when the only coffee additives I knew of were cream and sugar.

As every college student soon discovers, late-night studying becomes a matter of daily habit, and caffeine becomes “necessary” to stay awake. Soon I was addicted, and soon the cream and sugar was not enough. I had to try flavors. I had to try lattés, and before I knew it, I was into cappuccinos and macchiatos. The special mixture of flavors, both bitter and sweet, with the rich texture of foam or steamed milk made for a festival of warmth in my mouth, and it warmed my body, too. This had to be a part of my life.

Eventually I was visiting the café every opportunity I could, and by then the addiction was not simply the hot drink. I became addicted to the atmosphere, the ability to come in and order with confidence (and a bit of arrogance) a sophisticated-sounding drink that only the crème de la crème coffee aficionados could. Add to that the thrill of being able to throw away money at an overpriced drink, and the addiction was at a whole new level.

But nothing compared to the sensation and overwhelming excitement of buying a drink from the place to buy coffee: Starbucks. Not only was the décor warm and inviting, it made one proud of the privilege to buy at such an amazing coffee shop. Never mind that most of my family and friends made fun of those who paid $4.50 or more for a Ventí (a.k.a. “large”) speciality drink. Never mind that drinking it twice a week would be a budget of nearly $450 each year. It was just plain cool to drink it.

As I walked out of Starbucks today with my Grande Gingersnap Latté with an extra shot of espresso, it occurred to me that my addiction is simply this: I love the feeling of buying a drink from a reputable company who knows how to serve a great drink every time. Maybe it’s the warm fuzzies the drink gives me, maybe it’s the caffeine, or maybe it’s because I feel sophisticated when I buy my coffee at Starbucks. Whatever it may be, that’s my story. Make of it what you will.

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

The Importance of “Greed”

December 19, 2008, by No comments yet

In a future post, I’ll comment on my thoughts concerning the topic of greed, hedonism, and the Christian. But this video is simple but interesting. At the least, enjoy the 80s “decor”!

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

Re-Post: The Power of Freedom and Opportunity

December 17, 2008, by 4 comments

(I wanted to repost this item with attention to a few additional bits of information: Link 1 | Link 2 | Link 3 | further comments very welcome.)

The greatest unfairness today is denying a decent education to poor children, for whom that is often their only way out of poverty. —Thomas Sowell

My liberal friends often talk about “leveling the playing field” for those who haven’t the opportunity to pursue what I, a middle-class raised white guy, am able to pursue in America. I do not deny that there are advantages to being white in America, though one could argue there are advantages of being black in America. Barack Obama’s ethnic background is playing a huge part in his rise to power. That’s not a bad thing or a good thing. It is what it is. American history, however, shows that society has tended to favor the white.

Whether or not the liberal narrative of “white privilege” is accurate, history is clear that oppressive slavery left a scar on our nation. The reality of our history is that our ancestors limited the freedoms of others, which gave them no upward mobility to proceed out of their situation.

Some still believe that this so-called “white power” still exists in our nation today. I would contend that it does, but perhaps more dangerously in unseen ways and predominantly under the guise of “compassion” and “social well-being.” Minorities who are underprivileged have little or no opportunity to bring themselves to more and better opportunities; they are “trapped.” Whether it be in the inner city with no money, family, or other means to get out of their situation; whether it be in a school district they can’t afford to move out of because “their side of town” is on the wrong side of the tracks; or whether they are simply trapped because of mental, physical, or other prohibitions on their health and well-being; the bottom line is, they have no freedom, and they have no opportunity. To use ultra-conservative terminology, they have no bootstraps, access to bootstraps, and in some cases, don’t even know what bootstraps are or how to them if they were given a pair.

Education reform is long overdue. Politicians govern who goes to school and where, and how much money gets funded in certain areas and for certain reasons. If you live in a certain district with a school system that is not to your liking, the only way to increase the quality of your child’s education is to make decisions on your own, and that takes means. Those in poverty don’t have means. Nor do they have freedom and opportunity. In America today, for there to be opportunity in education, there needs to be means.

Perhaps we should compare this problem to the problem of slavery. Like slaves, those trapped in poverty are often stripped of their human dignity. They are also trapped by the laws that do not allow them to pursue their own interests, even in spite of the good intentions of others who claim to have their “best interest” in mind. Their children are doomed to a poor education until politicians deliver. They are at the mercy of those in power to do what is best for them.

Our socialist system of schooling is fraught with shortcomings and major flaws that increase government say-so in education and decreases the say-so of parents. It leaves the powerless with no options, and those in power and opportunity (i.e. “means”) to excuse themselves from the mess.

What we need is an emancipation. Freedom for the enslaved. Opportunity for the underprivileged. Human dignity is promoted by freedom, which then energizes the dignified. Whether it be to a people group or to a single person—something inside of a free person changes. We are all, in fact, created equal. Freedom (especially protected freedom) reinforces that reality and builds the self-assurance that we are, in fact, valuable to the world and to God. Self-assurance of this fundamental reality changes who we are, how we see ourselves, and can help us alter our lives.

The mere existence or declaration of freedom and opportunity, however, does not immediately change reality. Just after slaves were declared free, they were not suddenly treated as white people, nor were they given equal stature in the eyes of white people. They needed assistance and aide to move along, to progress. Today is no different. If tomorrow a program of freedom (whether in the form of school choice and/or vouchers) is passed into law, it won’t change things overnight. The newly freed will want and need guidance, and we will need to stand there, ready for them.

Will freedom and choice solve every educational problem? Doubtful. But it a giant leap forward toward freedom, which is exactly what our nation was founded upon and what has made it prosper.

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

To what extent should America “change”?

December 17, 2008, by No comments yet

This year, Barack Obama was elected because Americans wanted “change.” Even John McCain ran on the concept of “change” because he knew that Americans wouldn’t vote for “more of the same.” From the libertarian perspective, both candidates were “more of the same” for America. More government spending, perpetuation of wars (both abroad and at home), and a “socialism lite” economy that will continue to erode the our monetary system through inflation and easy money (I learned recently that this is what Bush brought us, so this isn’t an accusation at Obama). 

The “change” that we’re about to get is predictable. Both Republicans and Democrats are notorious for proposing and legislating things they feel would be best for Americans. Adding up the representatives in the three branches of government, we have fewer than 1,000 people making decisions on behalf of the entire nation. While I’m sure laws protecting individuals from fraud or harm are useful and moral, for a few people to successfully determine what is best for me and my family is sheer folly. 

Our nation is in a financial crisis. We’re aware that something should be “done.” But by whom? Regardless of the reasons one might suggest is the problem (libertarians like myself blame mostly the government for its actions against the people, though I suspect that private enterprise has played at least a small role), the issue is simply this: we can’t afford what we’re doing. 

Imagine you and your spouse are crunching the budget, and you make $10,000/month (for most people I know who read this blog, that’s a lot of money). You add up your expenses, and you realize that you’re spending $20,000/month, leveraging your expenses by going further into debt. You’re putting things on credit cards, taking out equity loans, refinancing automobiles, and other false attaining of “income.” 

“Wow, Honey, we really need to rethink how our personal economy works!” you say. 

“What do you propose we do, Dear?” your spouse asks. 

If you were wise, you know the answer. If you were the government, you print more money or raise taxes, neither of which actually give you a greater income, both of which place even more undue burden on taxpayers and citizens. 

The point is, any “change” that we were promised is simply going to be more of the same of the last 70 years of American government growth. This isn’t about left vs. right or Democrat vs. Republican… all have unfortunately reached further into our pockets and into our lives and eroded the economy. What needs to happen is a more fundamental shift in how our nation works. 

Bill Sardi has written on Lew Rockwell an essay called “The Answers Are Out There.” I recommend reading the full article, because it’s definitely worth thinking about. He deals with the following issues:

The immediate challenges that are being discussed today are:

  1. To immediately implement a complete overhaul the nation’s currency, banking, investment practices and regulations.
  2. To produce low-cost energy; reduce or eliminate pollution from fossil-powered energy plants.
  3. To reduce dependency upon foreign oil imports by increasing the efficiency of gasoline-powered vehicles.
  4. To reduce the cost of healthcare and to make health insurance affordable for all.
  5. To create meaningful and substantial jobs for Americans.

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

Protectionism

December 5, 2008, by No comments yet

The “Big Three” in American car manufacturers are coming to the government to ask for our money to help “jump start” their businesses so they can get back on track. I’m really baffled by that scenario. If they want our money, why not ask for it directly by manufacturing automobiles that Americans would prefer to have? Why are we going to the government to ask for our money, without our permission? 

I recently read an article by Jacob Steelman on LewRockwell.com about the bailout: this quote stuck out to me:

The underlying premise of … protectionism is that the consumer is too stupid to know what he or she wants and too stupid to make informed decisions on the basis of each consumer’s needs and value judgments. These are the same consumers who on Election Day are said by the politicians to be so intelligent at having voted for this candidate or that candidate. But the day after the election these previously brilliant consumers are found to be so wanting in intelligence as to have voted in the marketplace for a product or service other than one said by the politicians to be vital for the economy or national interest. Thus the government is required to intervene in the marketplace to alter the preferences of these consumers who are now treated as if they are wards of the state.

Read the full article here. 

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

Faith in the Free Market

November 21, 2008, by 1 comment

As I’ve been studying economics lately, I’ve learned that the simple laws of supply and demand which are true in every economic system, whether totalitarian or anarchist, capitalist or socialist, dictate many of the consequences in the economic system. In short, the free market always “corrects itself,” as it is doing now. Home prices have, for the past five years, gone sky high because loans were easy to get thanks to “compassionate government” essentially forcing banks to make loans a truly free market would have prohibited. The cost of living has gone up no thanks to spending increases by the government, and the printing of money which is in effect a hidden tax that slowly and invisibly burdens the people.

Over the Bush Administration’s tenure, both the President and Congress have proposed and authorized legislation that has metaphorically dunked the government’s hand in the pond of the free market, and since they induced ripples that weren’t necessary, there’s now a wave of troubles coming to shore. What boggles my mind is that politicians generally opposed to free markets are now blaming those very policies that made the waves in the pond on the pond itself. Even if we allow that rhetoric to be true (“The free market is what makes this happen”), it’s very much akin to saying that getting a fever is an indicator that our body is failing. I’m not a doctor, but last I checked a fever was a natural correction in something going awry in our bodies, a built-in mechanism to keep things normalized. But the argument that the free market is the fault of our current economic crisis is simply unfounded and misleading. What is defined as “the free market” by its opposers is none other than a market influenced by politicians who use free market rhetoric, but nonetheless go through with policies that help them and their constituents. In other words, it’s the facade of a free market, but it really wasn’t one in reality. 

Ron Paul recently answered some questions on the New York Times’ Freakonomics blog about his candidacy for President, his thoughts on the economy, and what his plans are for the Congress. I highly recommend reading it, but to highlight a point made here, he was asked: “How do you propose we restore people’s faith in free-market ideas?”

His answer:

Well, we need to start by making sure politicians who talk about free markets practice what they preach. One of the reasons why people may have lost faith in freedom is that leaders used limited-government rhetoric while expanding the size and scope of government. Free markets got a black eye even though the actual policy was intervention and central planning. So again, leaders who profess to support markets need to act like that once in power. If we do that, we’ll prove that freedom really does work.

Click here for the full article.

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

Whither art thou, Socialism?

November 15, 2008, by No comments yet

George Will has written an awesome piece critiquing the Republican party for crying “Socialist!” at Obama. When Pot calls the Kettle “Black” (no pun intended), that doesn’t mean the kettle isn’t black. But as Glenn Beck says, why drink the lite beer (McCain), when you can have the taste of the real deal (Obama)? 

Will does a good job of describing how “socialist” the Republicans have actually become by introducing their various legislations to build up the government’s role ever more into our lives. Again, why I’m not beholden to any party, be it Democrat or Republican or Libertarian.

You can click here to read the article.

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

WWPD?

November 9, 2008, by No comments yet

Many loved the prospect of a woman like Sarah Palin as Vice President or President. With more experience she could potentially be a great candidate for freedom in a future election, whether the next one or a few beyond that. 

But Gary North has written a letter to Palin, suggesting she does something more grassroots and more powerful, and is probably the best thing she could do for politics nationwide. Click here to read it.

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

Why I wish I were Sarah Palin

November 5, 2008, by 3 comments

Besides the appeal of being smokin’ hot, I wish I were Sarah Palin. Just think, a normal mom who raises a family, gets a bit into politics and becomes governor, gets to be a Vice Presidential nominee. Here’s my reasons for wishing I were her:

1. She got in on some top-secret stuff — I’ve always been a sucker for those movies that make you feel like you’re getting an “inside peek” at highly classified information. While I’m sure she didn’t get as much as McCain and Obama did, certainly she got in on some pretty top-secret and classified information! That’s gotta be pretty neat info!
2. She was a catalyst for Americans to take a second-look at who we want in the White House — love her or hate her, Americans are enamored with having somebody who is “one of them,” someone who is not a political insider, a candidate who is simply a politician. 
3. Here’s my biggest envy: SHE GETS TO GO BACK TO ALASKA! — I was in Alaska’s Anchorage airport for an hour of daylight. I got to see 6,000′ snow-capped mountain peaks (in June!), and behind those (if I could have seen them) were 13,000′ mountain peaks. I’m a sucker for the mountains, and if I had a fortune, I’d spend every penny in an effort to move all of my family to Alaska for the rest of my life.

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

Mourning Hangover

November 5, 2008, by 2 comments

There are few people in the history of the world who get to witness milestones, pivot points, and events that change the course of history. While electing Barack Obama as our first black president, we’ve witnessed a milestone and a potential pivot point. Whether this will change the course of history on a grand scale is yet to be seen. 

There’s one reason why Barack Obama won: he was the positive candidate with a message that resonated with Americans. Even many who did not vote for him, or even perhaps spoke out vehemently against him, would agree with the platitudes and ambitions of a more peaceful world, a stable economy, and a respect on the world stage. His message was positive. My hunch is that many who voted for John McCain were not actually McCain supporters, but those who, for one reason or another, could simply not vote for Obama for a number of reasons—inexperience, marxism/class warfare, suspect alliances, lies about the economy, or anything else (yes, I’m sure a few people didn’t vote for him because he’s black). But as Glenn Beck says, candidates do not win elections by being against something. Candidates win elections by being for something. It’s why Bob Dole didn’t win in 1996. It’s why John Kerry didn’t win in 2004. And it’s exactly why John McCain didn’t win in 2008. 

Politically, I’m a libertarian. I am not beholden to the Republican or Democrat (or Libertarian, for that matter) parties. And those who wish the Republicans would have won, I’m kinda glad they didn’t. I mean that. William Pitt, The Earl of Chatham and British Prime Minister from 1766 to 1778, once said, “Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.” Republicans got too much power and lost their way. I don’t think they were responsible for the financial meltdown. There are far too specific Democratic initiatives on record pushing for what finally became a mortgage crisis. But Republicans lost backbone, leadership, and a willingness to stand up and fight for their beliefs. 

For Evangelicals, it is time to understand that the Republican party is not our party. It is not the party we can rely upon, and it is not the party we must defend. While I disagree in many ways with the politics of Jim Wallis, one thing they have pointed out is good for the church: it is not beholden to a single party. Now is the time for all of us to know what we’re for, not what we’re against.

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts

Where’s Dobson’s Hope?

October 31, 2008, by 11 comments

Fear is an incredible motivator. If there’s a crisis, politicians can use fear to gather people to a common purpose in order to accomplish a common goal. Christians sometimes use hell as a fear motivator to get them to become Christians. Because it plays on our emotions, a sense of fear brings us into a state of “protect me.” It takes an innate and built-in trait—our desire and need to protect ourselves—and accelerates it, at worst causing disastrous results, and at best causing regrettable ones. 

Focus on the Family’s leader, James Dobson, has recently written a letter in a theoretical 2012 after Obama’s first term as president. His sole purpose is to describe an America in a complete and utter leftist paradigm. What he has written is no more than a prophetic voice, but no less than a tactic of fear. Jim Wallis, Brian McLaren, and other Christian leaders are crying out against Dobson’s letter, attacking it as “fear-mongering.” Citing racial overtones, divisive tactics, and anger as “unChristian” and therefore not worthy of trusting, these leaders do point out what Dobson shouldn’t be doing: playing on our fears. Dobson’s letter obviously wants its readers to fear what Obama would do, and to be fair any supporter of an opposing candidate would have legitimate fears (it should be pointed out that McLaren is on record pointing out his fear that America would decline as a trustworthy leader in our world under a McCain-Palin administration). The problem with Dobson, in my opinion, is not simply that he invokes fear. Invoking fear is not necessarily bad. The problem with Dobson is that his fears are his fears for an America he wants to create because of his Judeo-Christian ethics and religious beliefs. I find great issue with that, even if I personally agree with Dobson on any given point (they are becoming fewer and fewer as time goes on). Of the many things Dobson cites, only a few touch on things that every American should be proud to protect, and vote to protect. Most of the letter is all about “conservative values” pitted against the values of Obama, and mentions freedom only when freedom protects the values Dobson wishes to see upheld (same-sex marriage being at the top of his list). 

One incredibly positive aspect of the Obama campaign that should be commendable is his positive message of hope. It paints a picture of America as a land of people who are positive, voting for hope, rather than voting on fear. It is a complete opposite of the fear-based messages of Dobson and other right-wing pundits. It is a message that Americans want to hear, rather than one they have to hear. Personally, I like the message of Obama. But the message must be pragmatic (redistribution of wealth has never worked), be based in reality and not in propaganda (the economy failure was not a free market failure), and be one of supporting the people and not growing the government (it failed with Bush, and it will be no different with Obama). In other words, it sounds good, but its substance is that of ideologies that haven’t worked.

Dobson’s letter should have pointed out that while something “sounds good,” it doesn’t follow that the medium is good. Dobson’s letter should have pointed out that Obama’s message is exactly what America needs, but his methods are not freedom-protecting but government-growing. Dobson should have pointed out that while he believes permitting same-sex marriage would deteriorate the fabric of our society, that he trusts the people  to make decisions on public discourse, rather than trusting in government to uphold his personal beliefs. Dobson should have explained that even during a failed Obama administration, Americans have always worked hard and pushed through the tough times, coming out on the other side a better people and a better nation. He should point out that while many Americans will become highly disappointed in Obama’s policies, Christian hope is rooted in God, and American hope is rooted in a co-dependence on each other’s strengths, talents, ingenuity, and willpower to succeed. 

In other words, perhaps Dobson should take a play in the Obama playbook, and paint a message of hope in the presence of despair. After all, we all survived Jimmy Carter.

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

Website - More Posts