An interesting post from author Mike Lux on the Huffington Post¹. Even though you may not agree with his reasoning, you may benefit from an opposing view.
Here’s an excerpt:
The most fundamental difference between progressives and conservatives is that question of which side you are on.
Conservatives believe that the rich and powerful got that way because they deserve to be, that society owes its prosperity to the prosperous, and that government’s job when they have to make choices is to side with those businesspeople who are doing well, because all good things trickle down from them.
Progressives, on the other hand, believe it is the poor and those who are ill-treated who need the most help from their government, and that prosperity comes from all of us — the worker as well as the employer, the consumer as well as the seller, the struggling entrepreneur trying to make it as well as the wealthy who already have.
Usually, I might spend my time arguing which of those worldviews gives us better policy outcomes, or which is better politics, but in this post I want to focus on something else: which side the God of the Judeo-Christian Biblical tradition is on.
¹Normally I try to never link to the Huffington Post because I don't want anyone to think I'm a bleeding heart liberal that only reads liberal websites, but this topic seemed like something my readers would appreciate. Now I'm just waiting on BibleScholarGeorge to make a snarky comment.
That is an oversimplification with emotionally charged language fit for a so called progressive. The comment has nothing to do with Christianity, but refers to a radical version of trickle down economics.
I think it's simply that evangelicals tend to distrust the government b/c of popular end-times theology. Conservatives claim to distrust the government and promote more traditional values. It has nothing to do with who deserves what; that's a straw man. "Conservatives think the rich deserve to be rich and the poor deserve to be poor, therefore they're heartless."
I think it comes back to economic theory. Are economics so based in emotions that they must be tightly controlled (price controls, etc.) or does the invisible hand of competition keep business from taking advantage of people? The answer will illuminate your view of the government's role in economics.
Paul
I really can't comment since I don't read the Puffington Host.
LOVE IT. I shared it on Facebook.
Conservatives believe that the rich and powerful got that way because they deserve to be? Wow. Not quite. The disagreement I have with liberal progressive mentality is clear in that statement: its not fair that someone else has more than me, regardless of how they achieved it because they were obviously favored by God or someone else, and its only 'fair' that they are forced to share with those who do not have or weren't 'favored' because otherwise they'd be heartless, hoard everything and surely will be unwilling to help others.
As a conservative, let me try and reword it a little:
Conservatives believe that the prosperous and self-sufficient got that way because they worked hard and sacrificed, that society owes its prosperity to the hard workers and risk-takers, and that government’s job IF AND ONLY WHEN they have to make choices is to side with those they represent , whether it be businesspeople who are doing well or those striving to do better , because good things come back to those who work hard, sacrifice, and are charitable to those around them.
Work hard, and enjoy it. The most charitable people I have ever seen and known are typically wealthy and conservative. How many lazy, poor people have you worked for?
I won't comment on the progressives, because I simply don't understand them.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, Tom. I read "Conservatives believe that the rich and powerful got that way because they deserve to be" differently as you did. The way I interpreted it was that they feel like they deserve to be rich and powerful is because they worked hard to earn that money and status, which I think would align with your explanation.
I agree with your comment. I guess the use of the word 'deserve' is what bothers me.
Prosperity has nothing to do with 'deserving' it. More times than not prosperity is a RESULT of hard work. But you can work your entire life on making a widget machine and if the next guy's is better, well you're screwed. Yours may be better, or faster, but because the other one is marketed better, yours isn't selling.
You go 1 of 2 ways: go to the govt, say you worked hard and regardless of what the market says, you deserve half of the profit and the it should be redistributed to you since thats only fair, or you go find a guy to market your widget machine and put the other guy out of business.
Some people don't get what they deserve, and don't deserve what the get.
As for the author's view on which side God is on…that's a whole different conversation.
Thanks for the reply Geeding. I actually haven't been to your site in quite a while…good to see you're doing well, and expecting a kiddo. They're such a joy.