there is no religious test for a politician in the United States, even if you’re an observant Christian.

For good reason, the Constitution bans any religious test to hold public office in the United States. No one need be Christian to run for president. But neither should being Christian — even an enthusiastic Christian — be treated as a kind of presidential disqualification. “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity,” George Washington avowed in his Farewell Address, “religion and morality are indispensable supports.” The sweep of American history bears out the wisdom in his words.

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and as of today we Americans, courtesy of our federal government,  owe more money than the entire Gross Domestic Product of the country.

is a new organization seeking to provide an alternative view on government and the economy. Is expanded government and debt the only viable option to fulfill Christ’s command to care for the “least of these”? CASE has a different argument,

has more cash on hand than the US Government. This would be, of course, because Apple doesn’t, like many businesses and households, spend more than it takes in. Beneath the radar on all the discussions and posturing regarding the US debt there is a higher, moral, question. First, the money that our government has is not “their” money, it is the people’s money extracted from them through taxes. Those who lead have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of this money, investing it judiciously for the greater good. The failure to do this is a moral failure, an abandonment of values easily more significant than much of what is considered “scandal” in Washington D.C..

Secondly, we are a culture soaked in the expectation that we deserve things without accounting for the cost. Everyone has their hand out to the government to give them something and who cares who is going to pay for it as long as we believe its someone else. If it is scandalous for those in positions of authority to squander money given to them in trust it is equally scandalous to be a nation of people who demand without sacrifice, who, as St. Paul indicates, would like to eat without working.

That’s the problem with all of this current debate. Two groups of people with the same style of fiscal irresponsibility are debating the details while the rest of us hold our breath and hope our particular hand out is spared. From the bedroom to the board room morals matter, and we may be soon finding out, once again, the hard way.