The Common Good

Some folks have asked about my voting preferences in the upcoming election. This election has revealed that my politics are best aligned with 18th century Federalism. I'm in good company but unfortunately, guys like John Adams have been dead for quite some time. I find myself in the 2008 Presidential election without anyone I can support. I completed a few of the on-line matching tests; they reveal that I have less than a 50% match on the issues with any candidate. At the bottom of the spectrum, I have an 8% match with Barack and Hillary.

I’m an unapologetic federalist, capitalist and catholic. The current candidates are pretty far from those ideals and lean towards non-federalism, socialism and secularism.

Unfortunately, I see (and have felt the effects of) those destructive forces, socialist policy, abortion on demand, the absence of moral conviction, corruption and the despair that this brings to families of our community. The idea that government can bring hope is repugnant to me. Liberty gives us hope. And dare I say, suffering gives us hope. Liberty is risky, audacious and bold. Hope is impotent apart from the love of God (Romans 5).

Tax cuts do not bear hope. More jobs, more health care, more handouts will not bear hope. Socialism has not, and never will bear hope.

Government exists for the common good. The common good preached from the pulpit of politics in 2008 has tempo, it has a cadence but it lacks substance. Even worse, it is a lie. The common good is not universal health care, it is not social security, and it is not a lower unemployment rate and job security.

Addressing the question “Should we have universal health care?” is the wrong question. The questions to answer include “How do we treat the most vulnerable of our nation?” and “What is the appropriate role of government? Of community? Of the church?”

Common Good or Commonweal. There is work to discern the Common Good and this was the hard work of the great minds that formed our government and framed our constitution.

There is much to say on this issue but I will leave you with one thought. Our candidates for President believe that government is the common good and not that government exists to secure the common good. And that is a fundamental departure from the framers.

For more on The Common Good, I commend this research paper: The Notion of Common Good in Early American Thought.