It is another intense day of politics at the White House. The debt default deadline is fast approaching. The stakes for the nation are high as politicians can't agree on how to resolve the ideological impasse on how to reduce the deficit before the nation defaults on its financial obligations.
On Wednesday, before congressional leaders were due at the White House for critical negotiations, I, along with 11 other national faith leaders, met with President Obama and senior White House staff for 40 minutes. We were representing the Circle of Protection, which formed in a commitment to defend the poor in the budget debates. Sitting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, we opened in prayer, grasping hands across the table, and read scripture together. We reminded ourselves that people of faith must evaluate big decisions on issues like a budget by how they impact the most vulnerable.
We urged the president to protect programs for low-income people in the ongoing budget and deficit debate, and in any deal concerning the debt ceiling and default crisis. In an engaging back and forth conversation, the president and faith leaders discussed how we can get our fiscal house in order without doing so on the backs of those who are most vulnerable. We shared the concern that the deficit must be cut in a way that protects the safety net, and struggling families and children, and maintains our national investments in the future of all of us.
The meeting started with the recognition that the poor and vulnerable are at great risk in this debate. But we told the president some good news about how a Circle of Protection has formed in response to this crisis. It is now the most unified and broadest coalition of churches that any of us has ever seen -- and is endorsed by our brothers and sisters of other faiths and secular organizations who also work for low-income people.
We made our simple principle clear: The most vulnerable should be protected in any budget or deficit agreements -- as a non-partisan commitment. The most vulnerable need a special exemption from all spending cuts as they usually have had in previous times of deficit reduction. We told President Obama that this is what God requires of all of us.
We agreed that we need both fiscal responsibility and shared sacrifice. Those already hurting should not be made to hurt more, and those doing well should do their part in sacrificing. And whatever we decide should be fair, balanced and compassionate. President Obama agreed that the sacrifices needed to reduce the deficit must not be borne by the "least of these." It was good to hear a reference to Matthew 25 and Jesus' words, "As you have done to the least of these, you have done to me," in the White House. This verse motivated many of us to be at the White House meeting Wednesday, and it continues to serve as a guiding principle for how we make critical decisions, including the one the nation is about to make. (Below, watch my discussion of Matthew 25 on today's Morning Joe.)
The Christian leaders at Wednesday's meeting included representatives from the National Association of Evangelicals, the National Council of Churches, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bread for the World, Sojourners, the Alliance to End Hunger, the Salvation Army, the National African American Clergy Network, the National Baptist Convention of America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
The Circle of Protection statement has been signed by more than 60 heads of Christian denominations and religious organizations, and is endorsed by 45 heads of development agencies as well as leaders of other faiths. The Circle of Protection movement has worked to uphold the bipartisan consensus that has long prevailed in deficit-reduction agreements -- that programs serving poor and hungry people should be protected and exempted from any budget cuts.
Circle of Protection leaders have met with both Democratic and Republicans in Congress, and they have requested meetings with House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Our goal is simply this: Whenever a new budget or deficit reduction proposal is put forth, somebody should ask how it will impact the poorest and most vulnerable. This is a biblical question, a fair question and a question of justice.
Jim Wallis is the author of Rediscovering Values: A Guide for Economic and Moral Recovery, and CEO of Sojourners. He blogs at www.godspolitics.com. Follow Jim on Twitter @JimWallis.
Follow Jim Wallis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jimwallis
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Thought so.
If politicians want to stimulate more charity, double the tax deduction for charitable giving. Maybe then Biden will contribute more.
And as for the "greedy conservatives" - conservative give more of their income than liberals: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2682730&page=1
As usual, liberals find it easier to spend other people's money - just look at Obama.
Sadly, it is clear that the Republican politicians are interested in nothing of the kind. They simply do not care about the poor and most vulnerable. At all. They are dedicated to sacrificing those people for GREED.
There is poorness in spirit, from poor to rich.
How simple is that?! Thanks, Jim Wallis!
Re: "shared sacrifice." Is something really a sacrifice if it's not freely given?
"Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." (verses 11-13)
"So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Verses 28-30)
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (Verse 46)
what would Jesus do about the poor, the hungry, the sick, the powerless, the children?
Cuz they might need it too.
He mirrors the beliefs of folks like me that deeply believes in the separation of Church & Government ... however, we also believe that we must speak-up to counter-balance the extremists in the Christian faith that seek to infringe upon everyone one brand of thinking and way of life.
There are many of us who believe in social justice and see it as part of our faith calling. We also happen to be liberal in our political beliefs.
(your brother in Agnosticism)
Cuz all any of us hear are the extremists.
You really need to learn about folks (who are Christian) who are not fundies, but who work for social justice. You really don't know of which you speak.
I have never heard a single evangelical christian say either of these things. When have you? Who said it?
I agree with you that only by pooling our resources can we hope to alleviate poverty and want. The question still remains - who is best situated to organize the pooling? Good people can disagree on the answer. We get into trouble when we think our federal government is the proper authority.
who will care for them within the context of society?
Be sure to urge the 32 or so republican attorney generals around the country threatening to sue to overturn Obamacare and affordable health insurance for low-income people too, while you're at it!
The poor have already given of their labor to create the wealth in the first place, yet receive a pittance for it. I guess you'll only be happy when the rest of us are reduced to serfdom to be bought and sold by the rich.