For a nation claiming to follow the teachings of Christ, there seems to be large doses of hypocrisy. Complaints about high taxes, Medicaid recipients, illegal immigrants, the homeless and the poor taking advantage of “social systems” that give some relief, and how too many low- and middle-income (families making less than $50,000 annually) not paying enough federal income taxes are rampant.
Against these judgmental viewpoints, people justify low federal income taxes for corporations and those making more than $400,000, defend high profits for these entities and fight against any legislation that would increase corporate taxes, decrease drug costs or increase the minimum wage. Many cities have criminalized churches for feeding the homeless and those living on the streets when they have nowhere else to go.
At the same time they are fine with corporate welfare for oil, pharmaceutical companies and corporations like Walmart and Amazon who pay their employees slave wages while they pay little or no income tax or get large tax rebates when they haven’t paid any taxes on their profits.
None of the above is very Christian-like or follows Christ’s directive of “whatever you do to the least of my brethren, that you do unto me.” Think about that.
Elizabeth Veronica Weaver
Hempfield
The writer is a member of Voice of Westmoreland.