Posted on 02/21/2012 10:47:24 AM PST by Oldpuppymax
I met my neighbor Rus Walton in 1974 before a financial disaster moved us from our lovely country home near Sacramento. We also enjoyed some of Governor Ronald Reagan’s staff. Rus gave me a copy of his new book, “One Nation Under God.” Rus ran The Plymouth Rock Foundation for many years and was a noted Christian speaker and prolific writer.
People of faith have understood the principle of subsidiarity for a long, long time. It just means taking personal responsibility.
When needed, the hierarchy of assistance offered or given begins with the family; then the community; the state; the national government, and in major disasters, the nations. Key to subsidiarity is the higher up the ladder help comes from, the less time the higher entity is involved.
Coupled with the solidarity of “e pluribus unum” a successful society is created and maintained. As “progressives” gained power, their penchant for top down control and cronyism collided with the quality religious, educational and philanthropic institutions that have served the people well.
Walton noted a public service efficiency study done over 38 years ago, before our current welfare system went wild with the “Great Society.” Today it’s far worse with federal employees being paid double the taxpayers who support them.
“Rather than trying to expand Caesar’s welfare apparatus, Christians should be working to get Caesar out of the welfare business. If not all the way out, then reduced to...
(Excerpt) Read more at coachisright.com ...
Interesting note on subsidiarity and Catholic social teaching: http://www.acton.org/pub/religion-liberty/volume-6-number-4/principle-subsidiarity
America’s Catholic bishops have ignored this principle for decades, lauding all manner of statist intrusions on the rights and obligations of individuals and small societies, and cheering on ObamaCare. Now they’re wailing and rending their garments as they find the Leviathan is stepping on their cherished beliefs.
When you sleep with dogs, you get fleas.
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