Principles over Party

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless, maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed, rescue the weak and needy, deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3-4

My third and final principle, Helps Those Who Need it Most, has roots in my first principle of Protects Human Life, but takes it a step further. The above Bible verse is something I came across a few years ago, and it hit me like a load of bricks. It stated the internal calling I had been feeling for a long time and gave it a path and purpose, and mostly importantly, guidance. Although this is the 3rd principle on my list, it is where the whole idea of having set principles began.

Another full disclosure, although I started this post with a bible verse, I would not consider myself religious. I was raised Catholic and still adhere to some of the catholic beliefs. However, I would not consider myself a part of the catholic church. I prefer a much more intimate and personal relationship with God, and just simply don’t feel the need for organized religion.

I believe God has called us to care for the sick, the poor and the elderly more than anything or anyone else. Personally, I like to add Veterans into the list as well. These are people who are sent over to fight for special interests and then return home changed forever and subsequently forgotten in a system designed to fail them. It shouldn’t be a matter of religion to address these things and to help people in these situations, it is about doing what is right.

Religion aside, if America was founded as One Nation, Under God, then we should be doing our do-diligence to do God’s work. And I don’t mean walking around condemning people or discriminating against them. I mean holding true to the calling of protecting those in need of protection and helping those in need of help.

We currently live in one giant contradiction. We have giant million dollar mega churches and pastors with private jets along with half a million people sleeping on the streets on any given night. Far too often, we enjoy feeling like we are doing the right thing, without actually doing anything.

The poor, sick, and elderly are easily forgotten and often marginalized. They are political talking points that make people feel good, but nobody is really willing to do much to help them. After all, they don’t tend to put a lot of money into politics and they aren’t the biggest tax payers. Both of our current political parties are also giant contradictions when it comes to helping those who need it most. This is because they don’t stand by any type of principles or morals and sway back and forth on topics based on who’s bribing them or paying for their opinion.

Take the “health care” debate for example. The debate is never about health care and instead centered around access to health insurance. Forget the fact having health insurance does not equate to actually receiving health care. The collusion of the Government, media, and medical lobbying firms have tricked the American people into a debate that does nothing to actually help them. They have us focused on the cost of insurance while completely ignoring the outrageous and highly inflated cost of drugs, hospital visits, and other medical care.

In 2018 alone, corporations like Pharma (Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturing Ass.), American Hospital Ass., Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the American Medical Ass., spent a total of $95,938,313 on corporate lobbying. Placing all 4 corporations in the top 10 for corporate lobbying spending in 2018. It’s no surprise they don’t want you actually thinking about the true cost of your medical care. It is much more profitable to them for you to remain in the dark and paying through a third party instead.

Another example of a living contradiction is the constant debate over welfare programs. My biggest problem with this debate is no one ever wants to address the ridiculous amount of corporate welfare that exists in our society. The focus is always on the individual instead. There is no one to lobby for the poor in our community. No one to go Washington and stand on a mountain of cash and demand someone help them. Instead we send a message of blame and ridicule their way.

This collusion of government, lobbying money, and mainstream media, has lead to the universal brainwashing and propaganda machine aimed at marginalizing the poor, blaming them for their situation, and then outlawing ways to help them. All to distract you from the real welfare queens, big money American corporations. Corporations like Amazon, for example, who have the money to lobby for rules and legislation making it possible for them to tip toe around our tax laws and pay nothing on billions of dollars in profits.

The way we treat our elderly is a disgrace as well. This new attack on Social Security, trying to restigmatize it as a welfare program, is a joke on any American who worked their whole lives and constantly saw part of their income taken out for their “future security”. A system you are required, by law, to pay into with every employment check you make is in no way welfare. Our government is notorious for misappropriating funds. Especially when those funds are needed most by those with the perceive smallest voices in politics. They are even more notorious for then deceiving their constituents on the need for those funds once they are gone.

Even the Veterans Affairs offices can’t seen to manage their budgets affectively. With defense spending being the second highest on the federal budget, second only to social security, it makes no sense for the VA to have been found cooking their books to hide their month long waiting periods for medical care or to hide the millions they paid out in employee bonuses. The corruption and lack of care for those who need it most is astounding.

All the above mentioned issues can come down to one related theme, corruption in the pursuit of money and a lack of care for those in need. When determining my opinions and political stances, it is important to me to look deep into how much the topic at hand helps those who need it most. How much focus and emphasis is placed on lifting up the poor, helping the sick and elderly or taking care of our veterans.

History shows us those without the power of the dollar behind them are often pushed aside or just plain ignored. Used as fun political talking points, but then left behind when it comes to real action. Determining the affect of a given topic on these marginalized groups, will be a common theme of this blog and I look forward to further discussions on the topic.

I am grateful for the opportunity to share these thoughts with the world. Should you find yourself here, please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions as part of an open dialogue aimed at gaining a better understanding of ourselves and one another.