Government Charity

The Story

The following is a fictional story.

In 2011, a small farming community in rural Texas suffered serious crop failures due to the prolonged drought.  Thirteen farmers had done pretty well because they had irrigation systems and river access. Three of them got together and decided that they would share their bounty with the less fortunate.  To spread the compassion burden they then decided to solicit help from the ten other families with similar success stories. But only five of the ten agreed to join the benevolence project. The “generous” and willing families, who now numbered eight, had a follow-up meeting and decided that it was unfair for them to help the unfortunate while five “deadbeat” farmers were selfish. They contrived an elaborate plan to pressure the hold-outs by calling in outstanding loans where possible and by publicly shunning and ostracizing the objects of their disdain. They resorted to harassment and even some actions of questionable legality. They rationalized that their nefarious actions were based on and justified by the age-old rule of democracy – eight compassionate families would overrule the five stingy ones. 

Lawsuits ensued. Feelings were hurt. A community was divided. A good judge ruled based on the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution. In his written opinion, he stated that everyone has a right to keep that which they have earned by their own labor.  Issuing a cease and desist order against the oppressors, the judge granted that five holdouts were justified in declining to help their less fortunate neighbors. And in reality, each holdout family had very valid reasons for their actions, including large debts, ailing family members, high medical costs, etc.

Shortly after the judge’s ruling, some families petitioned to incorporate, a vote was scheduled, and it passed. An area including the land of 34 families was incorporated into Compassion, TX. A part- time mayor and part-time sheriff were elected.

In 2013, a law was passed in Compassion creating a “farm drought fund”. It created an elected board to manage the fund and to consider and grant applications for drought assistance to farmers. Taxes were assessed and soon the fund was being used to pay farmers for their drought damaged crops. Incorporated areas in Texas have the power of taxation under penalty of imprisonment. This power is granted by the Texas Constitution. And thus it was that Compassion earned the right to be called “Compassion.” Or did it?

The Wrong

What was formerly illegal became “legal”, simply because rather than a group of unincorporated citizens, a local government became the extortioner.  In the former, property was extorted by economic threats, social pressure and fear. In the latter, property was extorted under the “law” and the threat of imprisonment. Not only is such an act morally repugnant, but it is a sin. In the eyes of God, the actions before and after incorporation were both violations of the Seventh Commandment – “Thou shalt not steal.” Similar to the old saying “Two wrongs don’t make a right,” a right (helping those who had lost their crops) and a wrong (doing so by taking from others), both intentionally done, don’t result in a “no foul.”

The Law

Technically it is true that an action can be “legal” because it is sanctioned by law. But there are just laws and there are unjust laws. A tyrant rules because he can. Democratic republics serve their constituents by being delegated the natural rights of the people. The people, having no natural right to extort, cannot delegate extortion to their government. A law that extorts is an unnatural and unjust law. (Extortion - the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats.) By definition, the government taking of property from some to give to others is forced extortion. French economist, statesman and author Frederic Bastiat spoke of it in the 1800’s. He wrote ”When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it."¹

Our Nation’s History

The immorality and sinfulness of government taking was recognized by our nation’s founders. John Adams, our second president, said “The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. If ‘Thou shalt not covet’ and ‘Thou shalt not steal’ were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society before it can be civilized or made free.”^2,3 James Madison, generally regarded as the “Father of the Constitution”, wrote “Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government.”² 

But contrary to President Adams’ wishes, and President Madison’s interpretation, the idea that government can be “charitable” with our property was introduced very early in our history. In 1794, when Congress appropriated $15,000 for relief of French refugees who fled from insurrection in San Domingo to Baltimore and Philadelphia, James Madison stood on the floor of the House to object saying, “I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.”²

And President Franklin Pierce as he vetoed in 1854 a measure to help the mentally ill said "I cannot find any authority in the Constitution for public charity. [To approve the measure] would be contrary to the letter and spirit of the Constitution and subversive to the whole theory upon which the Union of these States is founded."¹

Today

The belief that government can and should be charitable is today pervasive and the norm. The Roman Catholic Bishops of Texas in weighing in on the Syrian refugee debate were quoted a few weeks ago: “The Bible abounds with calls for us to demonstrate hospitality to those in need. In Romans 12:13, we are told that Christians should ‘extend hospitality to strangers.’ Christ himself expressed praise and appreciation to those who expressed compassion, for ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’”⁴ This is what they do – misinterpret the Bible to shame people into using government for extortion. The “you” that welcomed a stranger in Jesus’ story was not the Roman government, but an individual doing so of his own free will. 

The list of government programs that involve extortion is endless. Few ever question it. To do so is to appear insensitive, unsympathetic, selfish, stingy and even unpatriotic. Those who would dare criticize government safety nets and socialist programs are ostracized by much of society, as were those in Compassion, TX. 

Government programs which are immoral include progressive taxation (Federal Income Tax), Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, Obamacare, industry subsidies, flood insurance subsidies, the Export/Import Bank, foreign aid not related to national security, refugee relocation services and hundreds if not thousands of other giveaway programs. To be fair, some of these programs extort under the guise of managing the economy rather than charity, but the moral transgression is no less.

Summary

Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, recently said “We are a compassionate nation.” I believe that.  But the only way to translate compassion into charity is to keep it private. Dr. Walter E. Williams in “Immorality and Contempt for Liberty” wrote: “I personally believe in helping one's fellow man in need. Doing so by reaching into one's own pockets is laudable and praiseworthy. Doing so by reaching into another's pockets is evil and worthy of condemnation.”⁵ Attempts to implement charity by governments are an exercise in folly and can only result in legalized extortion and a serious loss of freedom. Quoting again John Adams: “The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God … anarchy and tyranny commence.”² To return to strict constitutional interpretation and unqualified adherence to ALL God’s commandments is to honor God. It is a vital step in salvaging our country. If government taking is not ceased it will destroy our country.

Footnote – For further reading, an excellent, short article on this subject entitled “Immorality and Contempt for Liberty”, by Dr. Williams can be found at:
http://townhall.com/columnists/walterewilliams/2015/12/23/immorality-and-contempt-for-liberty-n2095918/page/full

Postscript – Last year when some of the residents of Compassion suggested that its name be changed to “Legalized Extortion, Texas”, a petition and affirmative vote discontinued the Farm Drought Fund.

References:

1. George Mason University, Quotes – Governmenthttp://econfaculty.gmu.edu/wew/quotes/govt.html
2. Conservative Colloquium – Founding Fathers on Charity, Wealth Redistribution, and Federal Govt.https://conservativecolloquium.wordpress.com/2007/11/24/founding-fathers-on-charity-wealth-redistribution-and-federal-govt/
3. As an interesting side note, this sentence by its mere structure indicates that James Madison assumed that God’s laws and more specifically the Ten Commandments were the foundation upon which the U.S. Constitution was based. Thus, there was no need to restate God’s assumed laws in the document. What if President Madison could see now what he created!
4. Austin American-Statesman, 11/26/15, “Bishops, feds oppose Abbott on refugees”, Jonathan Tilove, staff writer
5. Immorality and Contempt for Liberty, Walter E. Williams, 12/23/15http://townhall.com/columnists/walterewilliams/2015/12/23/immorality-and-contempt-for-liberty-n2095918/page/full

Update - 12/29/15:

I just ran across this quote which I wish I had seen before publication. It is too good not to include. “Years ago Marvin Olasky wrote how compassion traditionally meant to ‘suffer with.’ Over the years it turned into writing a check. Now it means making other people write checks.” -- Doug Bandow