I am extremely conservative in my political views. As a result, I am for as government as small as possible. But, I am also very concerned with the poor and those who are less fortunate. The difference between liberals and I is our solution to the problem. I do not trust the government to take care of the poor, and why should I? For the past 8 years of Obama have seen a major increase in the welfare system and what has improved? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! The welfare system under President Obama did nothing to incentive individuals to get off of welfare and get a job.

When the Obama administration did away with the work requirements for obtaining welfare, adults who were able-bodied applied for welfare came in droves and received about $200 every month. They received taxpayer money without having to go to work. Research found that for these non-incentivized individuals was that only one in five worked at all while receiving welfare checks! Government run programs have a legacy for overspending and not fixing the problem. Typically government run programs even worsening the situation. Because of government inefficiency, I do not trust them nor do I want them over reaching past what the U.S. Constitution lays out for them as their job. The U.S. Constitution does not give the federal government power to redistribute wealth. Founding Father James Madison stated that “the government of the United States is a definite government, confined to specified objects. It is not like the state governments, whose powers are more general. Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government.”

However, I am still highly concerned about the poor and taking care of those in need. Because I am also a follower of Christ, I believe it is the Church’s job to care for “ the widow and the orphan” and not Uncle Sam. 1 John 3:17-18 says, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." The problem today with the Church in America is we have become complacent. RELEVANT Magazine gives some heartbreaking statistics in an article they wrote called What Would Happen if the Church Tithed?. The article opened with three significant statistics, “Tithers make up only 10-25 percent of a normal congregation, only 5 percent of the U.S. tithes, with 80 percent of Americans only giving 2 percent of their income and Christians are only giving at 2.5 percent per capita, while during the Great Depression they gave at a 3.3 percent rate.” God does not ask for much from us in a 10% tithe compared to what the government asked for in taxes. If the Church gave 10% it would literally be world changing. People in need are a global problem that should not be ignored and left to bureaucrats to fix while the Church sits idly by. As Christians, we should never let the government act as a “Savior.” It is long overdue that we step up and give both our time and money to those in need in the name of the one true Savior, Jesus Christ. The act of charitable giving is a personal calling that for Christians ought to be a manifestation of their faith (James 2:18). The government should never forcibly take money from citizens to pay for welfare and social justice programs. Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, says, “It erodes the intensity of individuals’ call to help and can turn the virtue of charity in the giver into the curse of entitlement in the recipient,” when speaking about government run charitable programs funded through taxpayer dollars. Kirk often asks people, “Do you trust the government?” to which they respond “No!” then Charlie asks them, “Then why do you want to make it bigger?”