Sharing in the Burden

1 Timothy 6:10 tells us..."The love of money is the root of all evil". As a legislator evaluating some unnecessary giveaways in Oklahoma's Tax Credit system... that verse really "hits home". As Oklahomans we are facing a $1.3 billion shortfall caused mainly by a 13 year low in oil and natural gas prices along with a corresponding 35 year glut in oil reserves and inventory. Those who oppose any reduction and continue to "live off the government tit" are often akin to the analogy of the "father who looses his job and asks his kids to give up or reduce their allowances for a brief time till Dad finds a new job".

Many of the corporations and individuals who live off this proverbial "government cheese" are unwilling to do it. Sadly, some behave just like the ungrateful child totally incognizant & uncaring of the family’s predicament who says "but Dad you promised"!

Even individuals who believe it is other taxpayers’ responsibility to take care of them & meet their needs are incredulous to these difficult budget times and attack their lawmakers because "they can't get what they want right now".

We are not talking about "truly needy" but the "truly greedy". They are even willing to shuttle "faith, family, and values" at the "altar of greed" for their "instant gratification" and you are left to wonder if they had any "values" in the first place. The regular person who goes to work every day is left to wonder why our country is in the shape we are in.

For my part as a businessman and lawmaker I don't have that luxury. My business suffers while I'm doing the people’s business because it's too important and I rely on God to provide. My work this session has been trying to reduce the tax credit burden on Oklahoma by $250 million so we can fund core services. We may not get all of it but we have to try. Some credits are doing what they were intended to do but others have produced a reliance on "hand outs" instead of "hand-ups" and are destroying our revenue streams. Folks ... we all need to do our part, if we don't our children will be the recipients of our selfishness.

Philippians 2:4 tells us “to look out for the needs of others". As Oklahomans we need to think about that when we are "shouting down" others because we aren't getting what we want at that moment. When we look outside ourselves we often find others have more immediate needs then we do and we can help.