The “Redistribution” of Wealth

The “Redistribution” of Wealth


Mr. Obama is one smooth speaker and he has carefully crafted his words and speeches to the point that it’s hard to figure out what he’s really saying. His first harmful slip came with Joe the Plumber when he told him he wanted to make it fair for everyone and redistribute the wealth. His campaign worked feverishly to claim it wasn’t what it sounded like, socialism. Then came the transcript from 2001, same man, same theme.....Obama is heard telling Chicago's public station WBEZ-FM in 2001 that "redistributive change" is needed, pointing to what he regarded as a failure of the U.S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren in its rulings on civil rights issues in the 1960s.

But, the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society. To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn't that radical. It didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as it's been interpreted, and the Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can't do to you. Says what the federal government can't do to you, but doesn't say what the federal government or state government must do on your behalf.

And that hasn't shifted and one of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was because the civil rights movement became so court-focused I think there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change. In some ways we still suffer from that.

Get the picture??? It’s pretty clear what Mr. Obama thinks about redistribution of wealth isn’t it? It’s economic justice! What about his comments about the Constitution? I find them particularly disturbing! Those “essential constraints,” as he calls them, were put there to keep tyrants from destroying our government and the government from taking control over every aspect of life. The entire purpose of the Constitution was to limit government and to maintain a balance of power within the government. It is a great concern to think that a man who feels this way about our Constitution and has strong views, that seem to indicate a leaning towards socialism, could actually be president.

Sound the alarm! Be informed, look beyond the rhetoric and talking points to what the candidates really believe and stand for. Remember “A man is known by the company he keeps”....Ayers, Khalidi, Resko, Olinski, Wright....to name a few.

I would be wrong to stop there, however, because I’m reminded that I’m a pilgrim here....this is not really my home. It is my responsibility to be informed and to vote, but always with the idea of eternity in mind. In our eternal home, now that’s where we can really talk about “Redistribution of Wealth.” As a follower of Christ, I am a co-heir with Him, all of His riches are mine. (Gal 4:7, Romans 8:14-17) We don’t need to be a afraid, we know who wins in the final event, and until that time we know the ONE who is “able to keep (us) from falling and to present (us) before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the ONLY God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”