Economics: Road to National Security/Freedom of Religion

by Stephen Frank

The United States is the freest nation in the world. Yes, we have problems, but we also have guarantees for our freedoms. Most think national security is based on the military. Tanks, guns, drones, planes and ships all make us safer, that is true. A trained, experienced military is key to the use of the technology. Yet, none of us want the nation to go to war. I have been there, served in Viet Nam, and hope others would not have to confront enemies.

Though we have a Constitution, a strong military, a President that puts our nation first in deliberations, this is not the whole story.

For many years, the United States had to import our energy and oil from foreign nations, mostly from the unstable Middle East and literally from terrorist nations. If those nations made demands on us, we would have to compromise our principles and values to get the needed oil. Today, thanks to the policies of President Trump, we are oil independent. For the first time, we are exporting oil and natural gas instead of having to borrow to buy energy, making us weaker. By exporting, we gain revenues and can no longer be blackmailed by bad people into making wrong policy decisions.

Sadly, California does not allow drilling, fracking, and is trying to end–and shut down–the oil industry in the state. Last year, 56% of the oil used in the former Golden State was imported—mostly from terrorist nations. Except for Hawaii, due to its being an island with no home-drilled oil, California is the only State in the nation that needs to import oil. So, California is financing terrorist nations—forcing our national government to spend more defending us and stopping terrorism. Economics is national security.

Then you have taxation. Every dollar of taxation is a dollar less of freedom. When you give government a dollar in taxes, you are transferring money from your family and the private sector to the government. That means government grows while your ability to invest, grow jobs, and make your family economically secure is decreased. Taxation policy is part of our security system. More taxes, less security for families, churches and businesses.

Bigger government means less decisions made by families and business. When you raise taxes there is less money to save for college funds, church tithes or community service. Government decides how to spend the money. My Economics professor in my freshman year in college would say, “The government is the leak in the economic garden hose.”

You may read about the “trade wars” and wonder what it means to you. NAFTA, the North American Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico caused automakers to close factories in the United States and move to Mexico. That cost Americans several million jobs, we lost hundreds of major manufacturing companies to other nations, and more Americans had to take lower paying jobs and lower their standard of living, just because of a trade agreement. The same with our trade relations to China. They have taken advantage of us, in trade, for two generations. Our political leaders wanted to be friends with China, so gave them what they wanted, instead of caring about the families of America. We suffered as China grew economically—and this became a security threat to our nation.

The bottom line is this: We need to care as much about tax policy, trade agreements and energy independence, as we do about the military. The security of our families mandates that we take an interest in state, local and national economic policy. Debtor nations, socialist nations, communist nations all have two things in common. First, the people are in poverty. Second, government cracks down on religious freedom. Why? Because when the people are hurting, it is the churches that speak for their suffering. Government needs to control religion to keep the people in line.

When you are in church on Sunday remember this: Your ability to pray and live your faith is based on a government with a strong military and a free economy.

Stephen Frank is Senior Contributing Editor of California Political Review. Read California news that is incisive, hard-hitting, and solution-oriented with a free subscription to Steve’s daily emails at http://eepurl.com/UAspv

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