Pope Francis: “The Poor Continue to Wait!”
Truer words were never spoken! In a world where the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” keeps growing, the poor continue to wait for the help they need. Caring for the poor is one of the most sacred charges Jesus has given us. We must do better. Let’s see how we can help.
Are We Focused on the Poor?
The answer to that question is a resounding “NO. ” The United States is the most generous and richest country in the world, but our priorities are “out of whack.” Our government spends our money before they collect it, and often, it is spent on items that do not help the American people, especially the poor. We have people who have no food, no shelter, and few, if any, clothes. Some need healthcare, medicine, and someone to talk to about their needs. We, as a country, have failed the poor spectacularly.
It’s not as if we don’t have the money, we do. I know we are over $35T in debt, I get it. We spend it on things that are not for the greater good:
- Wars and global conflicts
- Weapons that can destroy the world many times over
- Our elections – it is estimated that ~$16B was spent on the presidential election alone!
- Pet political projects – aka “earmarks“
- “Unspent” COVID money, in too many instances, went to “earmarks.”
- Ludicrous projects, i.e., Dr. Fauci spending ~$480K to turn monkeys transgender (it was for “research,” and I am dead serious).
Time to Re-Prioritize!
There needs to be more focus on the poor. Think about what the money for the presidential election could have done. The “incentives” given to “asylum seekers” were outrageous at times. They also need their needs addressed, but luxury hotels and thousands of dollars on EBT cards are excessive when others lack food and shelter.
We cannot continue to ignore the priorities as they are today. We must make a concerted effort to address the needs of the poor. This is one of our most important charges from Jesus:
“The Judgment of the Nations” in Matthew 25:31-46:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
How Can We Help?
We first need to ensure that our elected officials understand that the poor are a priority, and we expect that to be one of their biggest priorities. Contact your elected officials and remind them of this and that they will be held accountable. You can find your elected officials here. We need to have a metric for each of our elected officials about how focused they are on the needs of the poor. This is the only way we can hold people accountable. We will create a metric to ensure that those in need are cared for. A couple of thoughts:
- Poverty level and the trend metrics.
- Number of people receiving government benefits and trend metrics
- A metric reflecting homelessness in the district
Businesses analyze their most important metrics, so why can’t we do so for our citizens? We must remind our elected officials that they work for us and not vice versa. You get fired if you don’t do your job in the real world. Why must we wait until an election to “fire” an underperforming employee? It is time to set our expectations for the government. The poor cannot wait forever.
What did you think about the article? What are your thoughts on the subject? Anything you want to add? All comments are welcome and encouraged.
Peace
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