The faith of those who would lead us, predominately members of the Republican Party, is quite touching. But should we be ruled by those with the faith and knowledge of an 8-year old?
I am struck by how much so many of them would let faith, and hope (but no charity!) determine how we should live.
What do I mean by this? Well, for example, I'd point out that:
- Their faith that lowering taxes will generate prosperity and growth is touching ... despite the fact that 30 years of history show it is not true.
- Their faith that austerity will increase prosperity is touching ... despite the fact that every country doing that is failing even worse.
- Their faith that global warming is a myth is touching ... despite the fact that worldwide we are dealing with the implications of its truth.
- Their faith that tearing down mountains or pumping millions of gallons of toxic chemical mixtures into the ground will have no negative impact is touching ... despite the fact that both cause indisputable near term and long term harm.
- Their faith that dumping millions of gallons of oil, and the chemical slurries used to drive them up to the surface are ecologically benign is touching ... despite the fact that we have too much evidence, from too many spills and accidents, showing the opposite.
- Their faith that private institutions can perform public functions - such as education, health care, prisons, police -is touching ... despite that fact that private institutions have put their profit and priorities ahead of public wellfare every time it's been done.
- Their faith that the private market can be self policing and a responsible member of society is touching ... despite the fact that this has never actually happened in US or world history.
- Their faith that their own God, and their reading of His word, is the right and only true intepretation of that, and hence they should be able to force all of us to have those believes, and impose their social mores on everyone, is touching ... despite that fact that not only our own history but the world's history shows not only how wrong that is, but that it is incredibly disruptive to society when done.
I'm sure you can come up with even more examples of their faith based beliefs not holding true in the world.
I'm reminded of an 8 year old child, and his or her faith in Santa Clause -- they fervently want to believe it must be true, even as the truth emerges.
Unfortunately, except in politics, we don't let those with an emotional or knowledge base of 8 years to rule us.
The question to which we don't seem to have an answer, is how can we get these people to grow up?