In his speech to the Democratic National Convention, nominating President Obama for a second term, former president Bill Clinton said that the choice before America was a stark one: “What kind of country do you want to live in?” That’s exactly right.
Do you want to live in an America with a robust array of legally protected civil society institutions, supported by volunteerism and charitable giving? Or do you want to live in an America in which the government occupies more and more of the public square, squeezing to the margins of our common life the voluntary associations that have long enriched our democracy?
Do you want to live in an America in which the national government recognizes that certain moral truths about the human person stand in judgment on law and public policy? Or do you want to live in an America in which utility, not dignity, is the governmental measure of the human person?
Do you want to live in an America that is recovering a sense of decency, a country in which moral conviction born of biblical faith is welcomed in public life, and neither the culture nor the government deplore biblical morality as irrational bigotry? Or do you want to live in an America in which both culture and the government think of human beings as bundles of desires that public policy and the public purse are supposed to satisfy—an America of Sandra Flukes?
Do you want to live in an America that respects the inalienable right to life declared in the Declaration of Independence—an America that gladly affords legal protection to the unborn, the radically handicapped, and the elderly because it has rejected what Blessed John Paul II called the “culture of death” and has rebuilt a robust and compassionate culture of life? Or do you want to live in an America in which an unborn child has less legal protection than a protected species of wolf in a national park—an America in which the mildest criticism of Planned Parenthood results in your being denounced by both public officials and the media?
Do you want to live in a country that cherishes and protects religious freedom in full? Or do you want to live in a country where religious freedom has been demoted to a “privacy” right to certain weekend leisure activities?
Do you want to live in an economically robust America in which earning a living is not only possible, but is celebrated as a dignified expression of responsibility and self-respect? Or do you want to live in an America in which the national government is the primary economic actor?
Do you want to live in a responsibility society or an entitlement society?
Do you want to live in an America that is pioneering new ways of combining economic growth, the empowerment of the poor, compassion for the underprivileged, and fiscal responsibility, thereby setting a new path for the democracies of the twenty-first century? Or do you want to live in a country that spends profligately and burdens future generations with both unpayable debt and the economic stagnation that sky-high debt-service causes?
Do you want to live in an America that is respected throughout the world for being just as well as strong, an America that supports others’ quest for freedom? Or are you resigned to living in a world where jihadists murder American diplomats, tear down the U.S. flag, and raise the flag of radical Islam over U.S. embassies with impunity?
Do you want to live in an America that combines its traditional hospitality to the stranger with respect for the rule of law? Or do you want to live in a country in which demagoguery makes it virtually impossible to create sane immigration policies?
Do you do you want to live in a country that has rebuilt a public culture of civility? Or do want to live in an America in which the politically incorrect are decried as Nazis?
Stark choices, indeed.
George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. His previous “On the Square” articles can be found here.
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Comments:
What’s worse this cycle, is that for political expediency, the Republicans have thrown God under the bus. Professor Weigel innocently asks, “Do you want to live in an America that is recovering a sense of decency, a country in which moral conviction born of biblical faith is welcomed in public life, and neither the culture nor the government deplore biblical morality as irrational bigotry?”
How can we presume to make a case for “moral conviction born of biblical faith” with a polytheist as our champion? And not merely a polytheist, but of a stripe that aggressively seeks to redefine the public understanding of the meaning of Christianity to a degree that the ancient martyrs would have recognized all to well. Remember that most of those who were fed to the lions only had to admit to the existence of another god (Caesar) in order to be spared. Now, to affirm a space for a biblical witness in public for the Law, we are using a method that undercuts the Gospel.
The narrative of the right, has NOT been, “Well, he’s not a Christian, but he could still be a effective head of state.” That I could take, after all Lincoln and Jefferson weren’t exactly orthodox. Instead, according to the premiere conservative political organ, the National Review the argument goes, “Sure Mormonism is nonsense, but all religion is nonsense if you look to close.”
Politicians use Christ’s Church for their own gain, deceiving us and perhaps themselves.
The Church has no friends in this world.
The idea that electing Romney will directly or indirectly cause or strengthen or even maintain the desireable civic virtues listed here, or somehow at least avoid the listed civic vices, just seems...naive.
Romney is hardly a standard bearer for the kind of country outlined here. And I say that as someone who will not be voting for Obama.
(Pardon for my English because I’m a naturalized citizen and not a native born)
Do you want to live in an America where everyone plays by the same rule or there are different rules for the rich and the power (1%) and for the rest? Case in point – Why is it so hard for Mitt to release his income tax beyond 2 years? There are many theories going around. However, the most plausible theory is that he did not pay any or very little income tax by exploiting some loop holes in a manner similar to GM - who made several billions dollars in 2010 and paid no tax. This kind of loop holes is only available for the very rich. For me, I can only deduct $3000.00 of capital loss no matter how much was the lost. As a matter of fact, I’ll still deduct this amount after 12 years of the dot com burst and continue to do so for many years to come!
Do you want to live in an America where we spend the highest amount on health per capita while there are millions and millions of people have no insurance or under insurance? In an America where number one reason for bankruptcy is due medical problem? When Mitt came to Israel, he praised its effective health care system that covers everyone at about half the cost compared to America. Duh! Israel has a government run national health care system! Every single advanced country in the world has some form of government control for health care because it is the only way to control cost and provide universal coverage.
Do you want to live in an America where the members of the Technology and Science Committee of Congress said some thing like this – “In legitimate rape, the woman cannot get pregnant”, “BigBang and evolution are lies from hell”, etc? Does it make America a laughing stock to the rest of the world?
Do you want to live in an America where 40% members of a particular party believe in such a blatant lie that Obama is a Muslim? Where someone like Rush Limbaugh has the highest number of listeners?
Do you want to live in an America where you can be stopped and asked for paper because you look like an illegal immigrant? In an America where you have been here for long time, sometime not because of your fault and have been contributing to America by working with very low wage and have to be “self deported” in order to become a legal resident?
Do you want to live in an America where government helps to the poor, the sick, the unfortunate are labeled “entitlements and handouts” while helps to big and powerful corporations like the big oils, big pharma, big military complex, big agriculture, etc. are just and acceptable?
Yes, the choices are stark, indeed. And I say that as someone who already voted for Obama.
