House to revisit bailout after Senate passes plan -- Senators add ‘sweeteners’ to the proposal, aiming to secure House’s vote –--- Auto sales fall; 1 in 5 dealers may close
--- a couple of headlines on the Internet, October 2, 2008
The scrambling continues in that place known as Washington DC as the U.S. Congress attempts to get that gigantic bailout bill passed and on to the president’s desk for signature. One headline said, “Senators add ‘sweetners’ to the proposal, aiming to secure House’s vote.” It has been noted that this stuff has increased the amount to much more than the original 700 billion dollar figure!
Yea, sure – isn’t it rather common knowledge that a lot of politicians have connections with the wealthy, including CEO’s and that generous contributions have always been a staple in their holding on to their coveted positions in DC? Plus you have that crowd known as lobbyists who put on the pressure when it comes to voting on things that have to do with money, and a guarantee that those who have tons of the stuff will be sure to hold on to it and get much more of it!
Nauseating details in recent days of what CEO’s of failed financial institutions were given by way of salaries, perks and those notorious “golden parachutes.” As reported by one person, they literally walked away with millions. It all translates into a thing called greed and giving the average American citizen an obscene gesture while they grab all they can as quickly as they can.
But we’ve got to hang on, folks, and realize that the last chapter has yet to be written – no, the U.S. Congress won’t write it, nor will the president, no matter how many bills he signs which will allow the guilty parties to get off with very little if anything by way of penalty.
What would be a very good thing which would send a clear message to those others in top level management who are doing about the same thing but so far have not seen their company/institution go belly up, is to take all the assets and property owned by those who were in the upper levels of management of the failed institutions. Let those funds be applied to the debts incurred by the loss due to financial failure.
Then let those upper level “managers” be given an annual income of the average family of four in this country and an average home such a family lives in provided for them. Further, let them pay what an average family of four would pay by way of obtaining insurance and health benefits. Give them a car such as one the average family of four would have.
Actually no jail time would be necessary – the more effective and fitting punishment would be for these people and their families who have been driven by greed for years to have to experience the struggles of an average family of four or more on a limited income in this republic. No longer having that mansion and domestic servants and whatever else by way of “homes” and “vacation get-aways,” driving luxury automobiles, sending the kids to those prestigious “ivy-league” universities and getting those special favors from politicians that the rest of us will never get, would be punishment enough!
And, yes, I already know – there will not really be any kind of true justice done regarding those who exhibited such irresponsible leadership, caused financial ruin, and still hold on to their fortunes – or as mentioned earlier, that these white collar people literally “walked away with millions!”
But there is good news in the midst of the bad news on this bailout and the criminals who got away with everything just short of 1st degree murder.
Jesus Christ will write the last chapter and have the last word – it’s simply a matter of time! And while within the ranks of those who profess to be “Christian” there are those who deny that He will do much of anything and that He isn’t coming back to this earth as King of kings and Lord of lords, there is a small minority that is fully persuaded that He will set this world right side up – He will control and rule it totally and will judge every human being personally – yes indeed, each one of us will give an account to Him as to what we have done with our lives and the material goods entrusted to our care! It's all spelled out in God's special revelation to us, if you'd care to look it up -- and then decide, does God mean what He says or does He not?
For those driven by their greed and lusts and who caused such financial chaos in countless ways, God has especially singled them out for condemnation:
The righteous also shall see and fear, And shall laugh at him, saying, "Here is the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness." --- Psalm 52:6, 7
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death..... He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage. --- Proverbs 11:4, 28
As a partridge that broods but does not hatch, so is he who gets riches, but not by right; it will leave him in the midst of his days, and at his end he will be a fool. --- Jeremiah 17:11
Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." --- Mark 10:23-25
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. --- James 5:1-5
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. --- 1 Timothy 6:17
The above are but a few of God's statements about money and those who become enslaved by it, having made it their "god" and consequently have brought severe condemnation upon themselves in the process. It remains, that very few people can handle wealth and power in a responsible fashion for the betterment of not only their own lives but the lives of large numbers of people who are impacted by decisions which such persons make on a daily basis.
There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches. --- Proverbs 13:7
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