But let’s get some perspective on this. There were never any good old days. This is nowhere near the point of the greatest government corruption in US or world history. Perhaps it’s worse now than it’s been in the U.S. for 30 years or so, but go back a century, or look at many other local or state or national governments in the world now or then, and you will find corruption that makes the Bush gang look like pikers. Liberal democracy is the exception in history, not the norm.

Which is all the more reason to keep up the pressure. Things could get a lot worse than they are, and if we’re not vigilant they will.

The cause? There are many, and pressure must be maintained on it to reform, prayerfully avoiding violent reaction. However, it seems that the use of professional politicians has so corrupted the two legislative houses that reform may be out of the question.
Pray for Peace

As far as influencing the gov’t and not bypassing it, perhaps that is the idea behind one of my friends who suggested she just wouldn’t deposit her check. Take it back, government! And use it in a more appropriate way! =)

The thing is, I believe in government. By that I don’t mean I believe it is fundamentally good, but I do believe that it takes government action to address serious social problems and inequities. As a comfortably middle-class citizen, I would like to pay more taxes for these efforts, not less. The impoverishment of the public sector, to my mind, is one of the most serious problems we face.

It seems to me that faith communities and non-profits are more effective when they harangue government into addressing social problems, than when they try to address the problems directly. This goes directly counter to leftist/grassroots conventional wisdom, but I think it’s true nonetheless. Bad government is behind all kinds of cruelty and foolishness, but in the end It took activist government to end slavery, give women the vote, end Jim Crow, and if we are going to solve the enormous social problems of our time, it will take government action.

None of this is a reason to not donate to good non-profits or faith communities, but I would personally like to see more focus on influencing our government than bypassing it.

I think perhaps the time for “making a statement” is past. When I was first thinking about this and talking with Jeremy about it months ago, I thought it would be great if people in meetings/churches got organized and pooled the money together in large chunks. For example, say a meeting/church decides to donate money to five different organizations. Everyone gives what they feel they must, the money is pooled, and donated in larger amounts (instead of lots of little checks). I don’t know if that was a silly idea or not – but it seems too late to organize that.

I also appreciate your comment about not devoting energy to making statements to a government not worth talking to. I’m sure they won’t hear this barely audible squeaky wheel at all. (Though I have wondered – will men dressed in black suits and sunglasses show up at my door, say there has been a mistake, and demand for the return of my refund check??)

My idea isn’t just to make a statement, however small, to the government – it’s to make a statement to those around me. The government may not be listening, but lots of other people are listening.
I disagree strongly with how the US allocates money. I’m glad this particular sum didn’t go to the war. I’m sad it didn’t go to social programs (or healthcare or whatever). The government chooses to allocate this sum toward consumerism and I choose otherwise.