What would Jesus say about social programs?

While accusing tea partyers of being ignorant and Republicans of being obstructionists, Raleigh Sutton exposed his own misguided thinking in his recent letter to the Daily Herald. According to Sutton, the U.S. Constitution and the Christian Gospels require big government social programs to help the “underpaid” and “disadvantaged.” The fact is, the opposite is true.

When Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor,” he never added, “through the government.” He put the onus of charity toward neighbor directly on the individual.

The Good Samaritan acted alone. He helped his neighbor in need without going through some massive, bureaucratic and corrupt Department of Whatever to do it for him. This is how Jesus demonstrated charity toward neighbor, and Americans are the best in the world at it with charitable foundations, private scholarships, community-supported shelters and soup kitchens and fundraisers, large and small.

President Obama and Speaker Pelosi are also guilty of this misunderstanding. They both repeat phrases like, “I am my brother's keeper” and “for the least of my brothers” as political propaganda to gain support for their big spending programs. While Obama says “spread the wealth around,” Pelosi claims, “It's all about fairness.”

Thomas Jefferson and our other founders better understood that the best system of governance was to keep government small and to allow hardworking citizens to keep their own money, minus a few bucks to pay for protection agencies, railroads and interstates, and decide for themselves how to best help those in need.

This system has worked well but for all of the waste and corruption in government. We only need to look at Greece, France or our own failed welfare programs to see that socialistic government does not work.

It's fine to have a liberal, socialist, big-government philosophy. Just don't use Jesus and Jefferson to try to justify it.

Kate Bochte

Geneva