Deficits – Fiscal And Moral
- Rick Scarborough
- Aug 29, 2012
At this week’s Republican National Convention, there has been much talk about the National Debt and annual budget deficits. There will be understandably less at next week’s Democratic Nominating Convention.
Republicans will correctly note that under President Barack Obama, America’s indebtedness has soared – growing by more than one-third, from $10.626 trillion to $15.988 trillion in little more than 3 ½ years, topping $16 trillion within days.
Democrats will counter that a recession necessitates deficit spending and Republicans got us into the current economic mess. (Funny how they ignore that the deficit spending began in earnest as a result of an attack on American soil resulting in 3,000 innocent people dying!) Republicans will reply that massive deficits don’t lessen recessions, but prolong them by draining investment capital -- which could create jobs and growth -- from private markets into federal debt service.
In a way, both parties miss the point. A moral collapse precedes a fiscal collapse. A responsible people don’t allow politicians to spend them into penury.
We speak of “politicians” spending money the nation doesn’t have – buying votes by mortgaging the future. But who elects these improvident officeholders if not “We the People?”
There is a direct correlation between the rising tide of red ink and the receding reservoir of national virtue.
When Lyndon Johnson (who presided over the costly Vietnam War and Great Society) left the White House in 1969, the National Debt was denominated in billions, not trillions -- $368.2 billion to be precise. That came out to roughly $1,726 for every American then alive. Today, the National Debt equals $51,017 for each and every American.
LBJ became president in 1963, the year after the Supreme Court slammed shut the schoolhouse door on God by declaring prayer unconstitutional. Since then, we’ve seen a steady decline in public virtue. For the past half century, there’s been a successful push to separate God-based morality and government. Like deficit spending, “We the People”have allowed it to happen.
The dismal success of this anti-God crusade can be glimpsed in the following statistics:
- In 2009, 41% of all children born in this country were born out-of-wedlock
- In 2008, 40% of all marriages ended in divorce
- 22% of married men and 14% of women say they’ve committed adultery at least once during their marriages.
- In a 2010 Time magazine poll, 39% of respondents said marriage was obsolete.
And this has led to a new way of family planning…”If I have one more child, how much more will I get?” “What else is available for me?” “If I get married will I still get my check?” And, perhaps the most telling of all, “Will I have less money or more if I take that job?”
We now have a nation that encourages and incentivizes the breakdown of the traditional family.
To get our fiscal house in order -- to cure our chronic economic ailments -- we must first turn to God for the only real healing…a healing for our families and a renewed commitment to seek God rather than government for our needs.
That’s why a growing group of spiritual and political leaders have joined together to launch 40 DAYS TO SAVE AMERICA (www.40DaystoSaveAmerica.com) a time for all of us to pray, fast and turn to God in repentance, for only He can save our nation and reverse the downward spiral we are on – fiscal and moral
In the past week I have spoken to thousands of pastors and Christian leaders through personal appearances, television and the webcasts promoting our call to prayer and fasting.
In September, we will be addressing the Value Voters Summit in
Please pray for and consider financially standing with us by making the most generous tax-deductible contribution you can to help us call
I remain…
Yours for Revival in
Rick Scarborough
