"Why do people choose the substitute over God himself? Probably the most important reason is that it obviates accountability to God. We can meet idols on our own terms because they are our own creations. They are safe, predictable, and controllable; they are, in Jeremiah's colorful language, the 'scarecrows in a cornfield' (10:5). They are portable and completely under the user's control. They offer nothing like the threat of a God who thunders from Sinai and whose providence in this world so often appears to us to be incomprehensible and dangerous . . . [People] need face only themselves. That is the appeal of idolatry."
- David F. Wells
Friday, March 26, 2010
This pretty much sums up my entire political philosophy (regardless of political parties and specific issues. Less hubris and more truth in Governance, please):
"We did not fully envision the challenges that we would encounter" says Herbert Allison, assistant treasury secretary, explaining to Congress why the Obama administration's lavishly-funded mortgage-modification program has gone nowhere. I salute him for his honesty and propose that "We Did Not Fully Envision the Challenges That We Would Encounter" should be engraved on every marble ediface in Washington, D.C. Translate it into Latin and put it on our depreciating greenbacks.
Firstly, notice the mention of the Daily Texan in there? Just thought I'd throw that out . . .
Secondly - I agree wholeheartedly. The government is not set up to do what we've been trying to force it to do over the past decade(s) when it comes to domestic issues.
Part of me thinks that there are a bunch of passionate, excited people who are just trying to think of things to do, so we get new programs, new ideas, new commissions, regulations, etc.
The greatest challenge for pols and their staffers would be to discover how we can undo the excessive stuff we've done in a way that won't mess everything up. How can we dismantle certain parts of the government and do away with certain government programs, regulations or entitlements without adversely effecting people, the economy or our standing in the world?
I'm sure there's an analogy to cleaning up bad code here, or something.