Working With The Government

First of all, I love America. I have travelled to many countries, but there is absolutely no other place on earth that beats the good ‘ole USA. Sing with me, “God bless America, land that I love,…...”

That being said, working with our government, and its’ convoluted political process, can be a real pain in the neck. As children, our first real shocker is when we ride the school bus. We are told to walk six blocks away from our house, stand on a certain corner in pitch dark, while it is raining, and wait for the bus,….which will be late. That’s when we realize that the school bus passes right in front of our house to get to that certain corner. No one on the bus even lives on that corner. Everyone has to walk a long distance to get there because.........that’s politics!

Groucho Marx said, “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies." Indeed, government rarely operates out of wisdom, knowledge, or common sense. So often, every move is politically motivated. Will Rogers said, “Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke."

You may feel that I have overstated the problem regarding the political process. Ok. What if I share with you some of the goofy laws politicians have passed that are paid for or enforced with your tax dollars? I list only a few so that you don’t start crying uncontrollably:

1. In 2011, our Federal government spent $175,587 on a dynamic study to see if there was any link between the mating habits of quail who used cocaine and those who abstained from cocaine.

2. In 2010, U.S. taxpayers paid for a museum to house neon signs in Las Vegas, Nevada. Other signs were left to rot in the back yard.

3. Section 10.32.100 of the Municipal Code in University City, Missouri, prohibits a person from honking the horn in a car that is not their own, unless they have permission. It is not clear if permission must be written or verbal.

4. In Indiana, hotel sheets must be exactly 99 inches long and 81 inches wide. This is a real problem for twin sized beds that are only 75 inches long and 39 inches wide. You can wrap it like a burrito!

5. In Oregon, there is an ordinance that prohibits a dead person from serving on a jury.

Overall, many of our laws are, uh, lawful. But too often, government leaders have abused their authority. Partisan politics is currently causing great harm to our country. Politically motivated Gerrymandering, malapportionment, untrue rumors, and sleazy political tricks are ruining our hopes for a better tomorrow. We need to pray our leaders to make Godly decisions. The Apostle Paul said, “We know that the law is good if one uses it properly (1 Timothy 1:8 NIV).”

But I am pleased to report that the laws of God are far better than the laws of man. Romans 7:12 NIV, “So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.” Let us be faithful to God and serve Him gladly. Let us pray for our divided country. Unless something changes for the better, we have a rough future as a nation. Please pray for our great country!