Prosperity gospel teachers and preachers thrive on lifting Bible verses out of context and preying on the vulnerable, greedy, and ignorant. Their doctrine is popular in North America because it focuses on the worldly trinity of me, myself, and I; essentially, me-centered Christianity. This message is spreading rapidly abroad, for the same reasons.

People don’t study their Bibles, and so, they don’t depend on the Holy Spirit to teach and guide them to all truth. They forget Jesus’ promise in John 14:26 (NIV):

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Sadly, these folks find the prosperity message of instant wealth too alluring to overlook. That’s why it traps them and holds them in bondage. They don’t see that it’s the proponents who become wealthy, while they fall deeper in debt. They don’t try to understand what it means to surrender to Jesus. They don’t realize that Jesus has not promised that His followers will be materially wealthy. He has assured us that we will have His peace and our joy will be complete (John 15:11).

Prosperity proponents use several Bible verses as hooks to catch the poor, uneducated, greedy, and ignorant. Malachi 3:10 seems to be one of their favourites:

Wittingly or unwittingly, these charlatans ignore the context. Malachi 3:10 refers specifically to priests mentioned in Malachi 1:6-8 who were presenting defiled animals to the Lord–Israel’s tithes to Levites were unfit. In turn, the priests who received these tithes, presented them to God, though the animals were blemished and defective. They ought to know the law! In Malachi 1:12-15, God cursed the priests for this. Then in Malachi 3:10, God tells the priests that if Israel tithed as required by the law, and the priests presented proper tithes to God. He will bless Israel as He promised in Deuteronomy 11:26. 

Malachi 3:10 does not mean individuals today should send money as a tithe to churches, and to health-wealth-prosperity gospel preachers, and God will pour out blessings on the givers! No, it does not! Here, Malachi refers specifically to God’s promises of blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 11. But seductive prosperity messages, and manipulation by wealthy TV preachers appeal to the greed and ignorance in their supporters who continue to give what they don’t have to gain a bonanza. Clearly, an unbiblical practice.

Read the Bible with an open mind that’s directed by the Holy Spirit, and you will see plainly that tithing does not apply today. The Levitical Tithe, Numbers 18:21-32, (10%), and the Aaronic Priesthood, Exodus 30:30, were Old Covenant arrangements God introduced to Israel under the Mosaic Law. This tithe of agricultural products and livestock served two purposes. It sustained the Levites, who had no inheritance in the Promised Land. It provided priests with animals to sacrifice in their temple duties as intercessors for Israel.

Farmers in Israel paid two other tithes under the Law: the Festive Tithe, Deuteronomy 14:23-27, (10%) consumed by the giver in God’s presence, and the Poor Tithe, Deuteronomy 14:28-29, (10% every three years) for the disadvantaged in Israel. Yearly, Israel had to produce 23.3% in tithes of agricultural produce and livestock, of which people tithing consumed 10% before God, leaving 13.3% given to levites, including priests, for their work in the temple, and as administrators.

Jesus became the perfect unblemished lamb when He died to pay for our sins. His death and resurrection removed the need for intercessors between us and Him. It took away the need for all tithes. It abolished the requirement to kill animals to remit sins. As well, it ended the Aaronic priesthood (Hebrews 7-8), and ushered in grace giving (2 Corinthians 8-9).

Still, prosperity preachers use Malachi 3:10, which says, tithe and you will be blessed, as a hook to get money. They apply it out of context and tell believers to tithe, give a tenth of their income, and God will open the flood gates of heaven and give them more than they gave. Naturally, they say the place to give is to their ministries. This is how they become wealthy, buy planes, expensive cars, and live luxurious lives, while their supporters remain in bondage to the tithe. Their followers, like sheep are astray, refusing to study the Bible on their own, and under the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

Tithing is not today’s biblical standard. This is not a grey area. It is obvious. It was never taught or practiced after Jesus died and rose again. Never! We see the early church’s giving practices in Acts 2. Nowhere in The New Testament after Jesus’ death and resurrection was tithing taught or practiced. Apostle Paul gives us the standard for today’s giving in 2 Corinthians 9:7:

This grace giving does not fit prosperity preachers’ teaching and preaching. The idea that it is up to each person to decide to give is an anathema to them. Voluntary, non manipulative, Holy Spirit led giving would kill the prosperity gospel industry.

It is time Messiah followers take their eyes of them and plant them firmly on Jesus, who reminds us we must focus on things eternal, and not worldly wealth (Matthew 16:26, Luke 12:15, Luke 14:24-34). Today, ask the Lord to lead you away from prosperity teachings.

For Christian financial advice about God and money, debt free living tips, debt solutions, and more on Michel A Bell, visit: Managing God’s Money. As well, to learn more about tithing, and giving read the truth about tithing.

Copyright (c) 2012, Michel A. Bell

Article first published as The Tea Party Is No More Extreme Than The Government on Technorati.

God, help America! If Senator Harry Reid believes sincerely that “leaving the Tea Party extremism behind” will create jobs, he is naive…and that’s being generous. His statement implies that his party has answers to solve America’s fiscal challenges. Mr. Reid, do you think your guys have the questions? Sometimes, I wonder.

Both parties have their fair share of baggage. When I look dispassionately at each group, it is obvious to me that the Tea Party’s policies are no more extreme than the government’s policies.

Let’s look at the broken economy. The government is big, ineffective, wasteful, and generates too much debt. To feed its addiction, it taxes, spends, creates a large group of dependent people, and demonizes the only job creating sector in society, businesses.

Congress must focus on shrinking government, cutting taxes, and freeing businesses from unneeded controls. This will lead to less government, fewer entitlement programs, and a more robust private sector that will generate jobs. As I understand it, this is a key plank of the Tea Party’s strategy. Is this extreme? I don’t think so.


Harry Reid says legislation “is an art of working together, building consensus, compromise.” Yes, and no. Yes, if the decision is likely to move the economy in the direction of an effective solution; no, if the opposite is true.

Listening to liberal politicians’ criticisms of the conservative movement intrigues me. They say the Tea Party is extreme. However, they do not view as extreme, their incessant attacks on businesses, their constant need to tax, and pitting one class against another. These liberals do not see economic growth, per se, as a solution. Instead, they want to redistribute wealth to the “middle class.” Surely, there are injustices in society that we must address, but we do not solve these issues by tearing down one class, and creating warfare between different societal groups.

What do the liberals want?  They want more debt, more taxes, wealth redistribution (class warfare), and more government spending. This approach failed. It will not create sustainable jobs, Mr. Reid. It will move the economy away from where it should go.

So, why should the Tea Party compromise or try to get consensus around this tried and unsuccessful strategy? Consensus and compromise sound honorable and effective, but when they take you to the lowest common denominator of defeat, you must reject them. That’s what I pray the Tea Party will continue to do; stand firm against these failed policies. If this approach creates a logjam, debt default, maybe the people will see that the liberals and their worn-out strategies need changing.

God, help America.

For Christian financial advice about God and money, debt free living tips, debt solutions, and more on Michel A Bell, visit: Managing God’s Money. As well, to learn a Biblical approach handle financial decisions, read The New Managing God’s Money-The Basics.

In Canada today, we have an impending personal debt crisis. Our heads are in the sand as we congratulate us for the great job we are doing managing our economy! “What are you saying? Everybody knows Canada’s economy is performing among the best in world? Right?” Wrong; the numbers tell a different story!

Before 2008, the USA Federal Reserve boasted about the strength of the US economy. Its low interest rate policy fuelled skyrocketing household debt. Coupled with poor oversight, greed, lack of ethical business practices, the financial sector spiralled out of control. The deepest post-Great Depression recession resulted.

In Canada, though our financial regulatory infrastructure is relatively solid, our low interest rate policy continues to encourage irresponsible borrowing. Our recession was not as deep as others because consumers kept borrowing and spending; not because consumers and governments were more fiscally responsible!

At 153%, our household debt as a percentage of disposable income, has surpassed the USA and UK, and still is climbing. The IMF is concerned! Are we?

With our propensity to be victims, when we choke on our debts, folks will start blaming the “one percent,” banks, government, everybody, but them. I pray the adjustment pain won’t be too harsh, and we will not do as the USA is doing: try to give people money to stay in homes they could not afford to start. God, help us!

For Christian financial advice about God and money, debt free living tips, debt solutions, and more on Michel A Bell, visit: Managing God’s Money. As well, check out these helpful tools.

Part one looked at affordability to buy items other than a home. Part two will examine affordability to buy a private house. As well, we will discuss these two matters:

Affordability [to buy a home] means…

A Home is a Hefty Commitment

In Canada, in the 1960s through the early 1980s, except for a few brief periods, when you bought your home, you set the base for a major, predictable, tax-free capital gain. Normally, when you sold that home, the tax-free gain would be substantially larger than inflation. These days, depending on the timing and location, selling your home bought after mid-1980s might yield either a gain or loss. Still, if you didn’t buy to resell, this shouldn’t be an issue.

In the early 1980s, using credit, North Americans went on a spending spree. Greed was rampant, and like many areas in the economy, housing prices soured. For example, Canadian real estate markets in Vancouver and Toronto sizzled until the mid-1980s when prices fell. The slump lasted almost 10 years. So, in 2008, it should not have surprised us when following a similar path, housing prices in the US plummeted. Besides, we should expect housing prices there to remain low for a long time.

Though they would not admit it, governments encourage irresponsible spending. Just look at how the economy works! Consumers must spend to keep it growing, even if it means using high-cost debt financing. Still, governments seek continually to get us to spend.

In the 1970s, the US Congress passed the Community Reinvestment Act…

“…to encourage depository institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they operate, including low-and-moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with safe and sound banking operations.”

In hindsight, safe and sound banking operations, was meant to be read with a “wink, wink,” facial expression.

Not to be outdone, the Canadian government’s Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) say they “…work to enhance Canada’s housing finance options, to assist Canadians who cannot afford housing in the private market.” They have this crazy, irresponsible, absurd statement on their website:

Before you buy a home, understand home ownership’s full effects. Beware of the lie that if you do not have enough funds today, property-value increases will help owning a home today. At best it is a potential trap to keep you in a refinancing cycle. That’s the government’s financing method that led to the sub-prime debacle in the USA.

Owning a home might involve most or all these yearly expenses (except noted to the contrary):

Renting a home, however, includes a monthly payment with responsibility to upkeep the grounds, and often, responsibility for heating and lighting. You have no other expenses.

Who Decides Affordability

Governments try to define affordability for us. They want households to use the same reckless Ponzi-style funding they use to waste taxpayers’ monies. Reject their approach. Each household should decide if he or she can afford to buy a home.

Each of these criteria should apply before you conclude you can afford to buy a home:

What Happens If You Must Give Up Your Unaffordable Home

To get a grip of this challenge, separate two decisions. First, can the home owner afford her present home? Second, if no, how can we work with her to provide affordable housing?

If the person or family can’t afford the home using my definition, move directly to question two. Don’t try to give so called help by lowering or deferring a few months’ mortgage; that’s dishonoring and wasteful. Dishonoring because it gives the impression the family will be able to keep its home. Then, in a few months the family must give up the home. Next, the approach is wasteful, because time and money is spent knowing the family must leave the house.

In these situations, focus on lifestyle counseling and financial planning. Stress lifestyle issues such as affordability, budgeting, anatomy of a mortgage, and stewardship. Teach the virtues of renting when folks can’t afford to buy homes. Yes, it is a virtue. Some ownership arrangements give home owners significant risks with no equity. That’s why so many mortgages in the USA are higher than home values.

While they get counseling in temporary housing, folks should work with churches and charities to prepare them to live in rented homes. This could be a long journey; but if folks reject the victim path and learned from their errors, it could be rewarding.

Conclusion

Today, folks rush to own their homes and plunge deep in debt as their housing costs take up a large part of their monthly budgets. Be patient, rent until you can afford to buy. Then you will build a solid financial base and lower financial stress.

For Christian financial advice about God and money, debt free living tips, debt solutions, and more on Michel A Bell, visit: Managing God’s Money. As well, check out these helpful tools.

Copyright (c) 2011, Michel A. Bell

As I listen to the Federal government’s repeated rhetoric in response to the severe, continuing, housing crisis in the USA, I reflect on the meaning of affordable. The government seems to be ignoring this basic idea. Ostensibly, it appears determined to keep folks in homes they bought before the recession, despite their financial conditions–an approach that creates false hope, and leads inevitably to frustration.

Because the government does not set affordability standards, its spiel appeals to public emotions and pits people against financial institutions. To be sure, before, during, and after the recent recession, many financial organizations operated unprofessionally and unethically to home owners. Even so, each home owner decided to buy her home, many with sub-prime loans. Sadly, some have, and others might have to leave their homes because they can’t afford to keep them. This leads to three questions:

Affordable

I suggest the overarching goal for each household should be to live a debt-free lifestyle. In this context, what does affordable mean? I think we should answer this question separately for buys other than a private home, and for buying a private home.

For buys other than a person’s home, affordable means…

To buy a home, affordable means…

I believe a person should not borrow to buy any item other than his home. Accordingly, excluding your home, which I deal with in part two, you can’t afford to buy an item if you must borrow to get it! To buy a vehicle, a fridge, stove, or other consumer item, pay cash, including using a credit card and paying the full balance.

Pay Cash For Your Personal Vehicle

Pay cash for personal transport? Yes, save to buy a car, van, and other personal transport. These are not investments whose value grow–they lose value continually. You might have to start with an inexpensive vehicle while you save for the ideal one. If available and convenient, as you save, use public transport during the week, and a rental as needed on weekends. Be creative, examine non-borrowing alternatives to achieve your objectives of debt-freedom with regular, convenient, and reliable access to transport.

You need to start early to save regularly to buy your first vehicle; continue saving to replace it, and keep repeating this procedure. Monthly, set aside a car payment to your personal designated savings account–learn to be disciplined and do not neglect this.

Pay Cash for Other Non-Residence Buys

What about buys other than your personal vehicle and private dwelling? The same principle applies. Is there any consumer item worth getting in debt for? I don’t think so. Furniture? Appliances? Vacation? Grown up toys? They can wait! The key is to learn to define wants and needs so that when items break or wear out, you do not think of replacing them automatically. If the fridge breaks and you can’t use it, instead of deciding instinctively to replace it using your debt-riddled credit card, while you save to buy another fridge, look at alternatives to keep foods cold and frozen. Seek temporary help from your neighbor, church, Bible study, or other group. You will need patience and humility…lots!

As with your transport, save systematically to buy, replace, and upgrade furniture, appliances, and all buys outside the operating budget; always be saving regularly for these specific items.

At least yearly, do a budget for potential buys, other than your private dwelling, with individual values over $100 (or other amount you decide), and with a life around two years or longer. For each item, estimate the following:

Remember, for buys other than your home, affordable means the ability to pay for an item and not take on debt, and not compromise current and projected household budgets, plans and commitments.

Understanding compound interest as it applies to loans, and knowing how much you spend for interest on non mortgage loans, might motivate you to focus on affordability before spending!

In part two, I examine affordability and buying a private dwelling; what it means to not compromise budgets, plans, and commitments, before answering the two remaining questions:

For Christian financial advice about God and money, debt free living tips, debt solutions, and more on Michel A Bell, visit: Managing God’s Money. As well, check out these helpful tools.

Copyright (c) 2011, Michel A. Bell

Article first published as Public Funding of CBC Promotes Political Correctness on Technorati.

Normally, I don’t watch the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) TV shows or listen to its radio programs. Rarely, for my research, I watch or listen to a specific program or news item. Each time, I hear left leaning, politically correct, liberal politics spouted by anchors and commentators.

While changing channels recently, inadvertently, I tuned to CBC TV at 7:00 P.M., on a weeknight, and saw the British soap opera, Coronation Street! This stunned me. I could not believe my taxes were subsidizing the cost to air a soap opera at the supper hour?
Though publicly funded, CBC behaves as if it is above the law. Its resistance to release spending documents under Access to Information disgusted me. But I find repugnant, this current incident. In response to the federal government's release of pictures and names of 30 suspected war criminals, CBC declined to publish their names and pictures. Here is their line: “CBC News' practice is not to name suspects, and therefore, is not publishing the names or photos of the suspects at this time.” Why is this publicly funded media taking this stance, when many commercial media published this information?

Still, the deeper issue is this: Why should Canadians continue to give CBC more than $1 billion yearly? Their, and their sympathizers’ official line will stress the need to ” “serve to safeguard, enrich and strengthen the cultural, political, social and economic fabric of Canada:”

In today’s Information Age, do we need the CBC to safeguard, enrich and strengthen Canadian culture? Our multicultural policy alone has redefined Canadian culture. As practiced, Canada’s official multiculturalism policy erodes traditional Canadian values. Progressively, we believe in almost everything others bring to this country, and nothing, simultaneously. This attitude has ushered in modern political correctness, which stifles freedom of speech. Today, if I speak openly about my Christian beliefs with sensitivity and love, I am labeled intolerant! Then again, I might be brought before a commission or other body!

Essentially, Canada has become a society that encourages hyphenated Canadians–Jamaican-Canadians, Italian-Canadians, and so on. This begs the question, who is a Canadian? Nothing is wrong in retaining one’s culture of origin. However, when government’s policy and funding discourage integration and assimilation in what earlier was Canadian culture, we will experience problems in society similar to those several European countries identified.

CBC is the bastion of political correctness, especially that flowing from multiculturalism. Continuing to fund the CBC will push us deeper to a left-leaning, politically correct country that believes in everything, and so, we end up believing in nothing.

If we continue funding the CBC, among the negatives will be the promotion of a multicultural policy that has failed elsewhere. I pray, CBC’s policies will outrage enough folks, so they try to get government to sell the CBC. Those Canadians who want to continue to fund CBC can buy government’s shares and so, compete with commercial media. That is fair, isn’t it? 

For Christian financial advice about God and money, debt free living tips, debt solutions, and more on Michel A Bell, visit: Managing God’s Money. As well, to learn a Biblical approach handle financial decisions, read The New Managing God’s Money-The Basics.

Article first published as Greek Crisis, Occupy Movement: Pervasive Ignorance Will Cause Them to Linger on Technorati.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has; the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.”



Money does not cause problems. Money, per se, does not solve problems. Money facilitates transactions between supplier and customer. It can quantify underlying symptoms affecting people and governments. 

Generally, the basic problem is people’s decisions, including governments’.

Folks decide to act a certain way, ignore the reality that money is the means to fulfill their wishes, they borrow to do what they want, and sink deep in debt.



Governments hire as many people as they choose, pay high wages, good pensions, sick and holiday pay, and other perks. During an economic boom, tax revenues rise and government escalates this irrational behavior. Then the inevitable downturn arrives and government scrambles to continue behaving as before–pay high wages, pensions, and benefits, to its expanded payroll. 



Take Greece. The socialist government spent, and spent, and spent, and is deep in debt. It has no funds, and it realizes the only way to fix the country’s economic woes is to reduce, and end, some spending drivers. This means cutting, policies, programs, and people.



The European Union offered aid. The people want to continue present lifestyles. They want the money tap to remain open. Meanwhile, debt rises daily, conditions in the economy worsens, government talks, and talks, and talks, and wasteful spending continues unabated.



Like the Occupy movement, folks in Greece are ignorant. They believe taxing businesses and wealthy people will allow government to redistribute income and then all will be well. They don’t understand that business hates uncertainty, and society needs an expanding economic pie, which, over the long haul, business alone can provide. 



The former Soviet Union and other communist states are classic examples of what happens when government tries to be the main force in an economy and focusses on wealth redistribution. It does not work. It failed wherever it has been tried.



The capitalist system has many flaws, but even with these flaws, it is the only proven economic system that over time, grows the economy consistently, and produces productive jobs.

To be sure, people are greedy. Greed pervades societies. Several greedy people ran the communist system. Many greedy folks work on Wall Street and on Main Street. Does this mean we should scrap the capitalist system for the failed socialist system, which attempts to distribute a dwindling economic pie that government manipulates?

I think it is highly irresponsible for the Greek socialist government to run the economy in the ground, and then ask the people to vote on the government’s austerity measures. We know how that vote will go. People without full knowledge of the depths of the economic challenge will look at their situations and vote on the path they think might allow them to continue in their jobs. But, the government has no funds, and without proposed measures or similar actions, chaos is inevitable, and more drastic cuts certain. 



There is only one way to stop the escalation of the government’s debt: cut spending drivers–programs, people, policies. That’s it! This sounds heartless, uncaring, unfeeling, but it is the only way. Surely, government must do it humanely; but it must do it, and it will be painful. The government created steep commitments that ignored potential effects of economic downturns…which happen. This is one reason it is best to have less government, and more private-sector involvement in the economy.



What is the real issue in Greece and many debt-riddled countries? Socialist policies, exacerbated by the Great Recession, caused their debt, but they see money as the panacea. Therefore, they want more money to fix their economies. They don’t want to do hard lifestyle changes. They reject the only real workable solution–changing their socialist policies.



There is a lesson here for the Occupy folks who demonize corporations, but want the economy to produce jobs and redistribute wealth. They need to understand job creation and economic growth fundamentals. How does the economy generate real wealth so people can get good, permanent jobs? Government can try to print money to pay everyone more than minimum wage, give everyone health care benefits, and pay great pensions, but that’s not sustainable. 



Businesses are the only effective wealth and job creating entities in the economy. Demonizing them will not change this fact. Where is the former Soviet Union today? Let’s try to deal with the excessive greed in some businesses, but let’s do it within the law, and focus only where the problem lies. Hanging out on Wall Street and elsewhere and disrupting businesses is a further drain on the economy, and is counterproductive.

For Christian financial advice about God and money, debt free living tips, debt solutions, and more on Michel A Bell, visit: Managing God’s Money. As well, to learn a Biblical approach to get out of debt, read chapter five of The New Managing God’s Money-The Basics

Have you noticed that happiness is in vogue? An industry has developed about happiness. People pay to join groups to laugh…yes, to laugh. Then again, many people strive to get money because they believe it is the key to happiness. They run ahead of God to borrow or gamble to try to get what they want. But they don’t realize these actions show dependence on banks or luck, rather than on God to supply their needs. Some get thousands or millions of dollars but find that is not enough.

The late American cartoonist, humorist, and journalist Kin Hubbard once said, “It is hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have both failed.” Research on money and happiness state consistently more money doesn’t give happiness, yet folks continue to chase money even though during the chase, their health and family relations suffer.

Research led by University of Missouri’s Kennon Sheldon found that “people who say money is most important to them are the unhappiest.” Princeton University’s Daniel Kahneman et al’s research titled, “Would You Be Happier If You Were Richer? A Focusing Illusion,” should cause you to stop and look at your priorities. These are some findings:

Most people believe they would be happier if they were richer, but survey evidence on “subjective well-being” is largely inconsistent with that belief.

Using their “Day Reconstruction Method,” they found income was hardly a factor with people’s moment-to-moment daily experiences.
Many people are “highly motivated” to increase income despite the weak relation between income and experienced happiness.
People with higher incomes tended to devote more of their free time to tasks involving tension and stress.

To be sure, how can you be happy with the means of exchange? Besides, how do you find lasting peace and happiness in possessions? Do you remember your first toy, first bike, or first car? You got major joy for a time, but later the novelty waned, your reaction changed, and you wanted something else, didn’t you? God created you to be in a personal relationship with Him, not with belongings.[...]

For Christian financial advice about God and money, debt free living tips, debt solutions, and more on Michel A Bell, visit: Managing God’s Money. As well, to learn a Biblical approach to get out of debt, read chapter five of The New Managing God’s Money-The Basics

Copyright © Michel A. Bell

Article first published as Ontario’s Recent Election Confirms Low Expectations From Politicians on Technorati.

Recently, I watched in shock as Ontario’s premier Dalton McGuinty was reelected for his third term. Here is a man who in 2003, signed a pledged not to raise taxes, and one of his first acts was to just do it. Essentially, he said, oops; sorry, I found out the books were really bad. So, I have to tax you. Those previous guys, they did it…it’s their fault!

That was the start of his tax grab.

In the recent election campaign, McGuinty promised that his government would refund fares when, for specific reasons, its trains are more than 15 minutes late. That people would even discuss this, surprised me. First, McGuinty has shown that his word is meaningless. Second, who will bear the cost of this silly proposal? Taxpayers!

It gets worse; his government plans to set up a system to process refunds. We can be sure this system will be inefficient, ineffective, and wasteful. So, taxpayers will pay even more! How about turning the transport service over to competent private sector firms, and reduce the cost to taxpayers? Probably, that’s too much to ask of tax and spend liberals.

Since 2003, McGuinty’s government pilled up over $100 billion of debt. With his tax hikes, increased deficit, and growing debt, still, he was reelected. Life continues as usual…maybe better, as he and his colleagues have four more years of unrestricted access to taxpayers’ funds.

As I reflected on governments’ bureaucratic bundling and waste, I tried to think of one project, one department, where national or provincial Canadian governments spent responsibly, and delivered an efficient, effective, needed service. None came to mind. However, so many examples of waste popped up. I can’t imagine why we, taxpayers, won’t accept the reality that to lower taxes and debt, and stop waste, we must push governments to get small, focus on the essentials, and get out of the way.

Today, health care is a major wastage area. Embedded skills’ shortages and long wait times, propel incompetent politicians to spend more. For governments, more money always is a solution to any problem. McGuinty’s government is no exception; it finds several ways to throw away taxes. Just look at the wasted one billion dollars in their unsuccessful attempt to computerize medical records.

The recent incident at Greater Niagara General Hospital is another glaring case of incompetence, and stupidity. An 82-year-old woman went to visit her husband at the hospital. She slipped, fell, broke her hip inside the hospital, about 50 meters from the emergency section. In pain and needing help, the hospital staff told her she had to call an ambulance to take her to the emergency. This incident is true…it is absurd, but true. After waiting for an ambulance for about 30-minutes, a doctor was passing by, and did what normal, sensible people would do; he and others helped her.

In August 2011, after two earlier, similar incidents, and other challenges, the government added another management layer at that hospital. In response to this recent event, McGuinty government’s will “request a review of the incidence.” No doubt, this will cost millions and last months. Sadly, easy access to taxpayer’s funds will cause this sloppiness to carry on.

While governments must protect us from unscrupulous drug companies, we need an infusion of privatization in our health system to raise the delivery standard and stem government waste. The present job is too large for any government. Again, I ask: do governments deliver any service cost effectively, efficiently, and professionally?

How do we convince the electorate that governments do not have answers to our challenges? Governments are ineffective in delivering services to the people; that’s why less is best. Typically, governments do not have the questions, so why do we think they might have answers? Many of these politicians have neither training nor experience in business. No doubt, they get giddy when they realize we will reelect them even when they spend recklessly, act irresponsibly, and like imbeciles.

We must minimize activities handled by these bundling, incompetent politicians and bureaucrats who waste our funds. This includes the federal government. Previous tax and spend federal liberals wasted $2 billion on the long gun control registry, which lives on, but should die soon. Even, the current federal conservative government has been on a spending spree, too, growing the federal payroll significantly since they came in office.  

Public apathy, lack of respect, low performance and integrity standards, prevail to governments. This leads to the electorate accepting governments’ incompetence, and expecting their continued waste of tax dollars–this is a vicious cycle.

What will it take for the electorate to demand better stewardship of resources from elected officials? Wasting billions does not seem to matter. Too much government, too much spending, too much debt, that’s what led Greece and other EU countries to the brink. Are we there yet? Ontario? Not quite; but we are getting there!

For Christian financial advice about God and money, debt free living tips, debt solutions, and more on Michel A Bell, visit: Managing God’s Money. As well, to learn a Biblical approach to get out of debt, read chapter five of The New Managing God’s Money-The Basics

Copyright © Michel A. Bell

Credit counselors are yelling at you to come work with them. They are telling you that they have the answer to solve your debt problems. Do they? Can they help you? It depends; they might be able to help, but you must understand the nature and cost of their assistance. And most of all accept that lasting debt relief needs lifestyle changes.

Credit counselors can provide financial juggling: they will contact creditors who will lower your debts, but you must do the hard work of lifestyle change. That’s the only way to stay out of debt.

Should You Use Credit Counselors

So, should you use credit counselors? Before you decide to use a firm, you must do due diligence, which should include the following:

Avoid These Credit Counselors

Clearly, there are credit counselors you must not do business with. These are a few obvious traits you will notice from this group:

Can You Get Out Of Debt Without A Credit Counselor

Summary

Credit counselors provide a service that could help. However, you do the work–you must make tough choices. They provide a structure to help you follow a payment plan. Here is the real issue: do you need a credit counselor to encourage disciplined lifestyle adjustments to become debt free?

For Christian financial advice about God and money, debt free living tips, debt solutions, and more on Michel A Bell, visit: Managing God’s Money. As well, to learn a Biblical approach to get out of debt, read chapter five of The New Managing God’s Money-The Basics

Copyright © 2011, Michel A. Bell