Less Than Two Weeks

Posted on May 19, 2012

Angst is only growing throughout the legislature. With less than two weeks, three massive issues will be put to a vote: Public pension reform, Medicaid reform, and a 2013 budget.

Lawmakers have been in Springfield much less this year, but leaders and budgeteers have been engaged in private negotiations with unions and health-care providers. This is all to be expected, but as the clock ticks toward May 31, anxiety is growing about seeing something in writing that’s definitive.

Legislative leaders usually have a good pulse on their members.  Yet, it’s possible for them to draft a bill that dies on the floor of either chamber. At this point, it’s very hard to say what will be proposed, voted upon, or happen with any of the aforementioned issues.

Why is May 31 so significant? Because it’s the end of the regular session. Thereafter, a 2/3 majority will be needed to pass all budget-related items. Republican votes suddenly become necessary, shifting the whole strategy. If that happens, it’s sure to be a very long, hot summer in the Statehouse.

Pray for your lawmakers in the midst of great uncertainty.

What’s Your Prescription?

Posted on May 16, 2012

Here’s an interesting site from the Illinois Senate Democrats.

The site gives a list of programs covered by Medicaid, allows you to choose what to cut, and then shows the savings.

I tried to cut everything and found a savings of $3.4 billion. If the goal is $2.7 billion in cuts, that doesn’t leave much room to keep anything. I’ve heard so many ideas that it’s anyone’s guess as to what the legislature might do in the coming weeks.

By underscoring the problem in this way, may it encourage you to pray.

Upping the Ante

Posted on May 10, 2012

Advocates say SB1849 will generate $200 million annually in state taxes, $1 billion in licensing fees, and 20,000 new jobs. Great!

I’ve read numerous studies on the social ills of gambling. Here’s one from Georgia’s Dept. of Behavioral Health, another from Baylor University, and one from Alabama Policy Institute. The short of it: Gambling has staggering social costs. Don’t expand it.

Advocates dismiss studies like these saying it’s very hard to pinpoint a dollar figure. You can’t possibly know for sure, so leave us alone. I’d like to assume they’re right. Let’s just say that gambling has little to no social costs. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Economics aside, there’s a moral question not often considered. It matters how a source of revenue is obtained. I realize not everyone who plays a slot machine is playing with a life-changing amount of money. Some say the risk is just a form of entertainment. Regardless, for every winner there are multiple losers. Wealth is not growing via any biblical virtue but switching hands by theft.

But, gambling is consensual… it’s not theft!! 

Stealing is the act of obtaining anything not rightfully yours. Are gambling winnings rightfully yours? They weren’t given to you voluntarily, right? Suppose a man burns through hundreds or thousands of dollars over the course of a night. Sure, it was his choice, but he obviously has a destructive problem. There are many people who walk into a casino and have a very difficult time walking out.

Not everyone is an addict, but a certain percentage are, and every loss ravages their lives that much more. How is it right for you to accept any amount of money that came this way? It’s not right at all. It’s a form of theft… a form that the state enforces and would like to expand.

Senator Kirk’s Recovery

Posted on May 9, 2012

Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) has been recovering from a stroke that occured in January. He recently shared this video on his progress…

As you think of him, please pray for the Senator.

National Day of Prayer

Posted on May 2, 2012

The first Thursday in May is officially the National Day of Prayer. Its history is pretty interesting.

Some of these events are pretty ecumenical, calling upon all people of any faith to pray. It doesn’t matter what you pray or to whom you pray… just go pray.

However, that’s not always the case. Last year, it was a joy to lead a group of believers in prayer for our government. I was glad to have been a part of that.

If you’re not accustomed to praying for your leaders, perhaps tomorrow would be a good time to start?

More than Dollars and Cents

Posted on April 27, 2012

Representative Greg Harris gave a lawmaker’s perspective on the cuts…

The numbers say that we must pay our bills and live within our means. The numbers say that we have to pay debts; we have to cut over $1 billion from last year’s expenses, plus cut another $2.7 billion from Medicaid and further reform our pension systems… But for those of us who will cast a vote for it, and for those of you who have to deal with the consequences to your family, your town or your business, there are no good choices.  We will pick winners and losers and there will be a human toll.

Harris’ full post is available here. It’s easy to think of a budget as nothing but numbers on a page. Yet, those numbers affect real people in very real ways. The state needs to make cuts. Perhaps we should have a bit of compassion and pray for those whose lives will be rocked by them?

Did God Say That?

Posted on April 25, 2012

Lately, I’ve read in the news many proposals complete with a divine stamp of approval. I started making a list. It’s not exhaustive, but a short list on God’s will. For instance, God desires…

  • We know His will (Ephesians 5:17)
  • We give cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7)
  • We abstain from immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
  • We give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
  • We build a third airport in Chicago
  • We bear fruit (John 15:1-8)
  • We do good (1 Peter 2:15)
  • We support the Governor’s pension reforms
  • We remain filled with His Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
  • We make disciples (Matt 28:18-20)
  • We put on the armor of God and elect Mitt Romney
  • We pray for our leaders (2 Timothy 2:1-4)

Do some of these strike you as a bit… goofy? My point isn’t to say anything about pension reforms or the upcoming Presidential election. Perhaps an argument can be made for a third airport in Chicago?

What I want to get across is the frequency that man cites God. When reason, funding, friends, or support aren’t all that high, just imply it’s the will of God. It’s sure to elevate your plans and put them beyond the pale of discussion. Afterall, God wants this.

Politicians do it. So do church leaders. Regardless, it’s demeaning to the God of the Universe who doesn’t take His cues from us. Isaiah 55:8-9 comes to mind:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.