Giunchiglani, Gillespie and a Real Bible Lesson for Our Liberal, Do-Gooder Friends

Courtesy of www.mecklenburg.org

First I need to say.  I don’t live in Las Vegas.  I don’t even live in Clark County.  I have no dog in the mayor’s race.  Likely nothing the Clark County Commissioners do will have any effect on my life.  So with that said let’s talk about an incredibly absurd and stupid situation.

Sherriff Doug Gillespie of Clark County has spent the last several years planning.  He, like everyone, knew there was a serious problem.  Like a Boy Scout he was determined to be prepared.  He cut and negotiated. He sliced and revised.  In the end he not only was able to balance the department’s budget but build an $84 million dollar surplus.  The surplus was not intended for travel or entertainment or dinners.  It was set aside so that if and when further cuts came Gillespie would be able to lessen the impact on his department.  That plan has already come into fruition.  Gillespie’s next budget has been balanced because he intends to use $33 million of the reserves.  This was forward thinking by a government official.  This is what every tax payer should look for.  And what does Sherriff Gillespie get for his efforts?

On Tuesday County Commissioner and Las Vegas mayoral candidate Chris Giunchigliani proposed that the remaining reserves ($51M) be returned to the County for use elsewhere.  What?  A department head did what he was supposed to and looked to the future and his reward is to share what remains from his hard work with those who did not prepare.  Commissioner Steve Sisolak agreed with the proposal.  The actual proposal was to return only half of the remaining funds ($26M).  But all was OK.  The Commissioners stated that should the Sherriff find himself in a bad financial situation in the future they would gladly step in and help financially.  With what?  With their money management skills the $26 million will be gone by next week.

Just imagine what Giunchigliani can do with the city budget as mayor?

But this is nothing new for the liberal do-gooders of society.  Take from the rich and give to the poor.  Take from the haves and give to the have-nots.  Take from those who worked hard and give to those who laid back and waited.  Take from those who work sixty hours a week and give to those who want to stay home and watch Oprah.  Take from those who are here legally and give free education and medical to those who are not.  And their simple answer to do all of this is (insert drum role) ……. raise taxes.  Make the 50% of people who pay taxes, especially the top two percent, pay more taxes to cover the 50% of those living in America who don’t pay taxes.  But there is method to their madness.  What is it you ask?

Simple.  Because God says so.  It’s in the Bible.  That was what Larry said this morning on Heidi Harris.  He said we conservatives claim we are Christians but don’t want to pay more taxes to cover everyone else.   It just proves we aren’t Christians, right?  Let the poor and down trodden suffer.  We talk the talk but stumble when it comes to the walking the walk.

First, I understand that not everyone reading this believes in God.  Not everyone believes in the Bible.  Despite what Larry says not all Conservatives are Christians.  Please bear with me.  Since Larry, and many others, want to throw the Bible in our faces, Christian or not, I figure I will use it to dispute their claims.

So as Larry came on he said the money (Gillespie’s) should go back to the general fund.  He then mumbled something about the Bible saying to give by ones means, etc, etc, etc.  He didn’t really quote the scripture nor did he even give the address.  He did what millions of others have done.  He sort of remembered something from the Bible and quoted it out of context to make his point.  That point was everyone should give even if it is by way of taxes.  The rich should give more.  They should be happy to do so and last, but not least, it is what God wants us to do.

Well now it is all crystal clear.  By all means put me in the 50% tax bracket.  Put Donald Trump in the 90% tax bracket.  It’s what God wants and by doing so it should almost guarantee that Trump and I will be hanging out on the inside of the Pearly Gates someday.  NOT!

As I said Larry, as do others, has taking the scripture out of context.  Here is the actual text from the Bible (for this I am using the New Living Translation):

2 Corinthians 8 – A Call to Generous Giving

 ¹ Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters,^[a] what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. ² They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.  ³ For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. ⁴ They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers^[b] in Jerusalem. ⁵ They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.  ⁶ So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. ⁷ Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us^[c]—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.  ⁸ I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.

This was a letter that Paul sent to the Church at Corinth.  He was trying to explain about giving.  He gave as an example the Macedonian Church.  When Paul talks of “giving”, notice the section I highlighted in verse three.  It says “And they did it of their own free will”.  It wasn’t a tax.  It wasn’t a fee.  It was a gift.

Raising taxes to save the World is not generosity.  It is not charity.  It’s a requirement, backed up by the law and fear of fines and going to jail.  To try and tell me that raising taxes to help others is the “will of God” makes no sense.  It is as if to say that if a homeless man comes to me and robs me at gun point, God is pleased because I gave to the poor.  That is ridiculous.  I gave to the poor so I would not get shot.  God may be happy I’m alive but he sure as heck is not praising me for my charity.  

Here is what I suggest for everyone who has a cause near and dear to their heart.  Support limited taxes.  Those defined to support the items in the Constitution that the government is actually responsible for.  Make it even and fair for all.  The rich and the poor.  As the Bible says:

Matthew 22:21 (NLT) … “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God”

Please don’t preach to me.  Please don’t quote out of context scripture to make your point or inform me that as a Christian I suck.  Allow me to determine what I feel is charity and what is charitable.  If I want to help the poor – let it be my responsibility to donate to a food bank.  If I want to help those without a coat – let it be my responsibility to donate to the Salvation Army.  If I want to help a college student get through school – let it be my responsibility to donate to the Millennium Scholarship.  That theory holds true for Planned Parenthood, NPR, the Arts and Fox News.  But please don’t raise taxes, force me to pay and tell me it is God’s desire and pleasing to him.  Because it is not!