Yearly Archives: 2013

Deficits and Surpluses

March 12th, 2013 | Dr. Charlie Self

It is difficult enduring the childish squabbling and crush-the-opponent-at-all-costs strategies emanating from Washington, D.C. and so many devastated cities. While politicians collect their pensions and salaries, and a few favorites (like General Motors!) store billions in cash overseas, most of the nation awaits leadership that is honest and wise, with the good of all Americans in mind, not just select constituencies that ensure victorious elections. Some decisions border on the tragicomedic: Colorado lowering tuition for the undocumented while qualified US citizens pay more for an education. Millions go on food stamps (with government urging) and Homeland personnel get a cool grand for uniforms while our President cancels White House tours and plays more golf. Obama has dinner with a few Republican insiders, but legitimate budget plans in the House are rejected sight unseen.

Something is broken.

Most Democrats know the gravy train must end soon. Republicans cannot seem to find a tune that will be hummed by hard working African-American and Hispanic citizens whose values are closer to theirs that the current Administration.

The problem is not the politicians.

Yes, the Mayor of New York is out of control with lifestyle regulation. Parts of Detroit are Haiti with cold weather. Everyone is so afraid of libelous labels that immigration “reform” will only encourage more defiance of the law.

We have deficits of discipline. We have surpluses of state control. The former leads to the latter.

It is difficult to hold politicians accountable for balancing a budget when we expect way too much of government agencies. Mayor Bloomberg’s crusades against fat and sugar are meddlesome, but we have become a super-sized nation and without discipline medical costs will force the kind of rationing we abhor.

We are scandalized by elected officials and their sexual peccadillos while we have a divorce rate of almost 50 % and voraciously consume “adult” entertainment. Our leaders need to keep clothing on and hands off the public till. And we need fidelity to our spouses and children.

We penalize economic success with excessive regulation and taxation and insist on more laws for gun ownership. Meanwhile, we pass legislation allowing Hollywood to produce more violent movies. Federal agencies are buying ammunition in wartime quantities. Such contradictions will not bear close scrutiny by thoughtful people.

We are living on our impulses, not insights as we satisfy whims instead of seeking wisdom.

We must begin a grassroots movement of personal and public integrity, with truth and transparency in deed as well as speech. We need to self-regulate and produce more than we consume, thus arming ourselves with moral authority that will cause politicians to think twice before passing more unfunded mandates. We can reaffirm the best of our founder’s virtues without repeating their mistakes. Freedom requires virtue and virtue rests on unchanging principles, not “evolving” notions of truth.

Let’s discharge our deficits of discipline and enjoy surpluses of sanity. Failure to reform from within our hearts and homes will end in totalitarian demands for our hearts and homes.

Maturity, Please

February 19th, 2013 | Dr. Charlie Self

Our current pop culture encourages permanent adolescence as prurient passions rule over consideration of others and thoughtful actions and words. Children are maturing physically sooner, yet staying immature longer, with many psychosocial experts affirming that the brain – especially of males – only reaches adulthood in the mid-20s. I only wish most in their 20s were adults!

This issue is not physiological development. Our founders did much of their greatest work in their 20s and 30s. The Greatest Generation that persevered through a Dust Bowl and D-Day matured in their teens – they had to work to survive and shed the decade of stupidity that characterizes our contemporary rites of passage.

Maturity includes physiology, but it is not limited by the body. Maturity – true adulthood – is marked by the growing triumph of principle over passion, reason over reaction, ethical choices over temptations and service to others over cheap self-gratification. Biblically, maturity is the Great Commandment (loving God supremely and others sacrificially) expressed by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the virtues of the divine life (II Peter 1:1-10).

Today’s youth are far more capable than we think. The problem is their parents. Too many “adults” are acting like middle school students, exchanging gossip, struggling for acceptance through moral compromise and hoping for popularity at any cost. O wait! this sounds like Washington, D.C. and most media content! Legislative progress requires self-control, principled compromise and the ability to reign in emotion and honestly desire the best for others.

It is time for new icons of virtue. The reason we love Captain America is that he appeals to something beyond ourselves…and even Iron Man follows his lead and willingly serves the cause. We love WWII movies and documentaries because – if only for a moment – so many served at great cost. These fantasy and folk heroes are flawed, but their decisions are sound and point to the heart of maturity – looking beyond ourselves to the Almighty and the good of others.

How do we change our current psychosocial trajectory? One decision, one family, and one relationship at a time. Today let’s open our Bible and turn off the computer. Mom and Dad, decide now that nothing will break your covenant…and if you have kids, your fidelity is the number one factor in their future. Let’s encourage learning, reflection and service and discover the wonder that caring for others fills our own souls with delight.

And by the way, let’s send a message to our city, state and federal public servants: We expect you to be adults and serve the common good. We are watching and we are voting.

Presidential Legacies

February 18th, 2013 | Dr. Charlie Self

Time is kind and unkind to the legacies of American Presidents. Washington and Lincoln will forever tower above all the rest. Washington truly is the Father of our Country, embodying all the aspirations and virtues of a new nation. Lincoln was the liberator of millions and the Preserver of the Union.

Other Presidents of good repute find that time allows for criticism and moderating of enthusiasm. Jefferson, Wilson and FDR are huge historical figures, but their achievements came at a price many think was too steep. John Adams and his presidential son John Quincy Adams will never inspire great affection; however, respect for their character and the context of their challenges allows more generous evaluation.

In the 20th century, it is hard not to pine for the solidity of Truman and Eisenhower, especially their ability to work across party lines. Nixon and Carter will continue to earn criticisms, with even Bill Clinton improving his legacy because he was able to work with Republicans and balance a budget.

I am not pleased with recent presidential performances, whether they are Democrats or Republicans. Our current administration is not facing the major issues well. This said, there is still time for a positive legacy of achievement. Obama will always be famous as our first African-American President. It would be wonderful for our nation’s future and for his legacy if he humbly works with all parties and accomplishes real deficit reduction, immigration reform and brokers some peace accords globally.

We do not have a Monarch. We do have a President that our founders intended to serve with character and competence, cooperating with Congress and respectful of the rule of law. May we find women and men worthy of this historic vocation.

Humility, Please

January 22nd, 2013 | Dr. Charlie Self

As President Obama begins his second term, we celebrate the peaceful transitions of power that make the USA the most stable expression of representative government in history. Even in our most contested elections, no militias have seized power and no parties have outlawed dissent and no dictators have risen to eradicate our experiment in self-governance and shared power.

Today is also the commemoration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s life and legacy – a life cut short by a racist’s bullet, but a legacy of compassion and justice we still aspire to as a nation.

With these celebrations undergirding our souls, we must not deceive ourselves that all is well and that life will continue on as it always has. Ominous economic, moral, spiritual and social realities cannot be completely obscured by distracting hot-button issues like gun control (reasonable controls are fine, but assault weapons account for less than 1% of all murders) or more federal largess to ravenously dependent constituencies.

We have to face the debt and deficits. We must recognize our foreign policy weaknesses and shore up our relationships with allies like Israel and Poland. Will we confront family implosion with moral and spiritual solutions, not more programs doomed to fail because children desperately need a daddy and mommy? We must stop ruminating about “de-industializing” America as the rest of the world charges past us in the global economic race. We must cease deceiving ourselves that we can spend our way out of recessions and talk our way to peace with totalitarians.

Mr. President, there is one key to a great second term. You cannot control all events, from nature’s fury to foolish decisions made in other nations. You cannot make a speech and heal the economy or the planet. There is one character trait that will unlock the door to a brighter future for all Americans. What is this key?

Humility. The humility to learn from those outside your ideological bubble. Humble people learn from mistakes, increase accountability change habits. Humility opens hearts and minds among adversaries and increases the chance of successful negotiations. Humility thinks of the good of all for the foreseeable future instead of one’s personal image or legacy. Humility opens the door to divine favor and reconciliation among warring factions. Humility is more powerful than intimidation, because it compels thoughtfulness instead of polemics. Humility knows when to compromise on some practical matters.

Humility is courage wisely managed and power carefully exercised. Humility liberates from the destructiveness of narcissism. Humility opens the door to heretofore undiscovered answers to baffling problems. A humble heart will show respect for all people, thereby garnering openness for new ideas.

Mr. President, allow God’s love to remove the barely concealed contempt you have for your political adversaries. The athletic competitiveness of your youth and the radical fervor of your win-at-all-costs young adulthood community organizing needs tempering as you realize that Paul Ryan is just as smart as you are. If you listen and negotiate with him, you will go down in history as one of a few Presidents with a great second term. In our century, Eisenhower, Reagan and Clinton fostered trust, forged compromises and made the world a better place by swallowing their pride and working with opponents.

The “one thing needed” (paraphrasing Jesus of Nazareth in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 10) for progress is also the most difficult virtue because it requires dismantling of defenses and construction of character on a foundation of reverence and for God and respect for all people. Humility liberates us from self-imposed demands of personal omniscience and the pressures of perfectionism.

Humility, please, Mr. President.

A New Day of Integration

January 6th, 2013 | Dr. Charlie Self

While Washington dithers and much of the world wanders, we can decide that 2013 will be a fruitful and meaningful year for ourselves, our families, our communities and – by extension – even our state and nation.

My new book is now out and it contains insights that help thoughtful women and men integrate faith, work and economics into their personal and spiritual growth and help local churches and communities flourish. 2013 is the year that we

Stop separating social justice and wealth creation, recognizing that they are partners in human prosperity at all levels.
End our disintegrated lives and choose integration of our callings, careers, community life and creative inspirations (special thanks to Brett and Lyn Johnson and their book, Convergence for this quartet of completeness).
Seek out friends new and old and encourage one another’s dreams and visions that contains the seeds of future flourishing.
Help thoughtful Democrats and Republicans cease labeling and libeling each other and begin partnering for balanced budgets, new efficiencies and wise stewardship of resources so that the poor and vulnerable are cared for and our children’s futures are secure.
Attend funerals for nostalgia and utopianism and celebration events for first/founding principles and substantive hope rooted in timeless truths and timely observations.

I remain unapologetically hopeful. I posses no fantasies of the days of yore or Star Trek solutions. I believe that God is working through loving and prayerful people willing to be answers to their own petitions.

The link here provides the information on my new work – an effort that arises from collaboration with so many great men and women. The Acton Institute (www.acton.org) is leading the charge for integration and I am honored by the appointment as a senior advisor. Yes, my name is on the cover; however, my deepest desires are the glory of God and the good of others. www.acton.org