Viewpoints with Kerby Anderson

Kerby Anderson
What is America’s greatest challenge? Former governor Bobby Jindal has a list that focuses on the challenges created by liberals in this country. Although he uses the term liberals, it might be better to realize his critique applies to leftists rather than liberals in general. Here are his four concerns.
“First, liberals are undermining the rule of law that prevents the arbitrary exercise of power and protects law-abiding citizens.” Some of the examples he uses range from liberal prosecutors refusing to enforce the law to restrictive rules and regulations that are adversely affecting home and business owners.
“Second, liberals are undermining the ideal of meritocracy that frees society from inherited privilege and petty corruption.” Gifts and talents are not distributed equally, but the role of government should not be equality of outcome but equality of opportunity.
“Third, liberals are undermining pride in American history and her values that has animated unity at home and a generous, confident and inspiring policy abroad.” America has been a unique force for good, but if you listen to lectures in school or listen to newscasts, you wouldn’t know that.
“Fourth, liberals are undermining the marketplace of ideas that has facilitated a better understanding of reality, protected minority viewpoints, and provided outlets for protesting voices.” Suppression of conservative viewpoints and religious liberty rights is done in the name of inclusion and diversity.
Notice two things about this list. It doesn’t talk about foreign threats, only domestic challenges. Most of the challenges are cultural rather than political, meaning they won’t be resolved just by electing the right people for office.

America’s Greatest Challenge Read More

Kerby Anderson
Do you have too much month at the end of your money? That question and catchphrase has been around for decades. But it seems even more relevant to our current economic situation. High inflation, rising interest rates, and runaway government spending has had a negative impact on American families.
E. J. Antoni is an economist at the Heritage Foundation and has run the numbers and explains that Americans have taken the pay cut every month since President Biden took office. For example, he documents that the average American family has lost the equivalent of more than $7,000 in annual income. He also argued that “There is a direct link between spending, borrowing and printing trillions of dollars, and the disastrous results for Americans.”
A skeptic might respond that while it is true that prices have gone up, wages have also increased. That may be true, but I haven’t found too many people in my sphere of influence who have told me their salary or wages have increased. If you look at the numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you will note that average weekly earnings are up 9 percent since President Biden took office, but consumer prices have risen 14.9 percent over that same time.
In some ways, it reminds me of times when I have tried to climb a hill or mountain with lots of gravel, talus, and scree. Two steps forward can sometimes result in falling three steps back. That is what is happening to the typical family with two parents working. Their combined weekly paychecks are up about $200, but the money has lost so much of its purchasing power from inflation that it is as if their weekly pay shrunk by more than $100.
These are numbers to remember while Congress is debating raising the debt ceiling and worth remembering during the election next year..

Pay Cut Read More

Penna Dexter
House Republicans proposed the Limit, Save, Grow Act as an attempt to pair modest reductions in spending growth with approval of an increase in the debt limit. The legislation includes requirements that able-bodied adults work if they are to receive welfare such as food stamps and Medicaid.
This is not angry mean Republicans “cutting benefits.” The Wall Street Journal points out that both SNAP, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, and Medicaid “were turbocharged in pandemic measures, including higher food stamp benefits and a ban on states from removing from the Medicaid roles individuals who may no longer be eligible.” Work requirements for SNAP were “waved away” and should be restored with the end of the emergency in May.
And Medicaid, which was expanded under ObamaCare to include men of prime age above the poverty line, needs to include a work requirement. Otherwise, the Journal warns, we threaten “America’s social and economic future as government sustains a permanent dependent class.”
A new entitlement is on the table: A proposal for increasing child tax credit payments which contains no work requirement.
With nearly two jobs open for every unemployed person, it’s a terrible time to implement policies that discourage work. House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX) argues, in a Journal op-ed, that Congress should “return to commonsense policies that encourage people to look for work and rejoin the labor force.”
Rep. Arrington says getting people back to work is “pro-growth and pro-family.” It provides “the surest way out of generational poverty.” It will improve the solvency of Social Security and Medicare.
When we require Americans who work to subsidize able-bodied Americans who don’t, we exacerbate political and social divisions.
In God’s eyes, work has dignity and importance. A recent survey that shows the decline of hard work as a core value for Americans bolsters the case for encouraging work in law and policy. As Rep. Arrington says it’s a “moral imperative.”

Culture of Work Read More

Penna Dexter
House Republicans proposed the Limit, Save, Grow Act as an attempt to pair modest reductions in spending growth with approval of an increase in the debt limit. The legislation includes requirements that able-bodied adults work if they are to receive welfare such as food stamps and Medicaid.
This is not angry mean Republicans “cutting benefits.” The Wall Street Journal points out that both SNAP, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, and Medicaid “were turbocharged in pandemic measures, including higher food stamp benefits and a ban on states from removing from the Medicaid roles individuals who may no longer be eligible.” Work requirements for SNAP were “waved away” and should be restored with the end of the emergency in May.
And Medicaid, which was expanded under ObamaCare to include men of prime age above the poverty line, needs to include a work requirement. Otherwise, the Journal warns, we threaten “America’s social and economic future as government sustains a permanent dependent class.”
A new entitlement is on the table: A proposal for increasing child tax credit payments which contains no work requirement.
With nearly two jobs open for every unemployed person, it’s a terrible time to implement policies that discourage work. House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX) argues, in a Journal op-ed, that Congress should “return to commonsense policies that encourage people to look for work and rejoin the labor force.”
Rep. Arrington says getting people back to work is “pro-growth and pro-family.” It provides “the surest way out of generational poverty.” It will improve the solvency of Social Security and Medicare.
When we require Americans who work to subsidize able-bodied Americans who don’t, we exacerbate political and social divisions.
In God’s eyes, work has dignity and importance. A recent survey that shows the decline of hard work as a core value for Americans bolsters the case for encouraging work in law and policy. As Rep. Arrington says it’s a “moral imperative.”

Culture of Work Read More