Churches and Small Government

In her column today Peggy Noonan says:

The Republican Party right now is torn. It has muscle tears you can't see when you look at the body of the party, but they are there, and deepening. In the natural scheme of things the party would fight out its big issues in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Now I suspect the fight will begin sooner. And that's good.

There's much on the table that has to be addressed--immigration, spending, the size of government--including the very nature and purpose of modern conservatism. Getting serious about these questions will be helpful to the country, and helpful to those who begin this overdue heavy lifting. Why shouldn't the president summon forth, ask the help of and highlight the presence of the governors, congressmen and senators who will soon enough be trying to run the party themselves? They're coming anyway. Why not invite them? And work with them. And, as a side benefit, subtly get a little of the heat off your dramatic self?

The Democratic Party becomes increasingly captive to the socialists and the anti-America crowd. It is in a death spiral and I don't think it is likely to pull out. This is bad because the GOP needs to be questioned so that it doesn't become complacent. Frequent sparring keeps you in better shape than eating cheese doodles and drinking beer. It's like Evander Holyfield thinking he would always patty-cake with a truculent toddler.

So here is Peggy Noonan saying there is a deep tear in the GOP. I have said before that the nation hungers for a reformer. If there is a split in the Republican party it will not be on social grounds but along small vs. big government lines. Reforming education, immigration, cutting spending, reining in judicial overreach, most of all placing power back with people deciding what is best for thier communities.

Churches are about communities. The church can best influence social issues in communities. Only by listening and hearing arguements from people they trust will people change how they feel about social issues. That means you, not some distant legislative body. IF federal government shrinks, it will be up to local communities to decide how to tackle social issues that is where churches can be effective. That is why a party break will not occur on social lines. If we believe that social issues are bound in morality and we believe the best persuader, the best witness is the individual, than churches will fall behind small government.