I am hearing again that we need a businessman to lead our government. I am not sure this is the case for a number of reasons.

For one, government does not work like business, and it isn’t supposed to do so. When it works efficiently – and you’ll get no argument from me that there are plenty efficiencies and adjustments that could be pursued in government programs – it acts as a counter-balance to our private sector.

Reason two. Good people are in business. However, there is much to indicate that America is permeated with the need to win. Winning in business translates to making the most money.  As humans, good people fall prey to this ideal, and when they do, they lose sight of their fellow Americans, indeed their fellow humans, and our need to support one another. In fact, as Christian Americans, we are called to do all things in love for – in service to – one another.  Unfortunately, as humans, we fall prey to the idea that winning is a competition of one against another.  If we are a Christian nation, in my view, we should be pursuing ideals that win for us all.

Reason three.  As I recall, Bush was a businessman, as were many on his cabinet.  There are plenty of indications, Halliburton for one, that led good people in government to capitalize on their position and subordinate duty to country.  We see it also in legislation passed that removes our government bodies from the laws they make.

Being in service to our fellow Americans, in fact humans, is a tall order, and too many well-intended people, simply either never know this concept out of lack of experiential context or lose sight of it all in the name of winning the money game.  It happens in the private sector, and it happens in government.  Our perspective can draw us to see this issue to be in either the private or government sector, but its really an issue of our humanity.  There are plenty able to voice their interpretations of the Word of God, but as in all things, the doing of God’s Word – through whomever S/He has spoken – is key and the most challenging of tasks.

When we find our religious practice, in truth, I have faith that we’ll find our way to evolving the greatness of our country to put each other before the dollar.

Respectfully,

~ Jacqueline