Finishing up Brian McLaren's Everything Must Change as a study break/reward is getting interesting in light of our post-bailout scenario. The government has just approved a $700 billion taxpayer-funded rescue of Wall Street, after our free-market hypercapitalism went awry. I started reading this book over the summer, before huge wads of money were thrown at our financial institutions. McLaren discusses the pressing need to address poverty, AIDS, and the shortage of drinking water, among other things. He also discusses the insane amount of wealth we have here in the USA. Knowing now that $700 billion can be freed up so quickly should put us to shame.
McLaren refers to the "equity system" in our society, which assures that some members of society do not end up with an unfair advantage over other members. The equity system is a system of justice that is supposed to develop and enforce laws, distribute society's expenses (through taxes), and establish and protect the press and court system so as to expose inequities. Since laws, distribution, and the courts at times fail us, nongovernmental organizations and charities have been developed to address inequities.
When the equity system ends up sputtering, our society can see some serious problems. The equity system has become unable to "intervene, recalibrate, [and] reorder," because perhaps our leaders have removed the mechanisms that allow the equity system to work. McLaren reminds us we're living in a time of "'free markets,' and the word free suggests that the equity system should be in handcuffs, if not a straitjacket so as to not interfere" (231).
McLaren continues:
"One naturally asks, What are markets to be free from? What are they freed for? For what purpose? Are markets freed from government regulation so that the rich can achieve luxurious levels of wealth, leaving the poor to starve or barely survive in degradation and indignity? Are markets free so that inequity can reach its apogee, providing liberty and justice for a very few? Are markets free so that those who plunder the environment can do so without accountability, or so that those who exploit the labor of the poor can do so without impunity? Is there no equity system that seeks to redress these injustices? Are the powerful free for the purpose of pursuing prosperity and security without equity?" (231)
An unfettered free market, which many Christians have supported by being in lockstep with conservative politicians, results in CEOs flying to Washington in private jets to ask for government money, while these CEOs' factories and plants continue to be shut down, causing more job loss and struggling families. These same CEOs will say on television that they "Think they're doing just fine" with an $8 million salary, all the while their employees hope to at least be able to preserve their retirement savings in the failing economy. Yep, reading Everything Must Change after the bailout(s) has been enlightening.
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