Killing the Golden Goose Ends the Golden Eggs.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Deuteronomy 8:17-18

¹⁷ Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ ¹⁸ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

(ESV)

In July of 2016, while campaigning for re-election, President Obama made his infamous statement “If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that.”  (1)  With this now infamous statement, President Obama was expressing his belief that nobody can succeed in business without government intervention.  His logic was that without the infrastructure of roads and communication subsidized by government, business success is impossible.  The flaw in this logic is that prior to this infrastructure, people acquired wealth as evidenced by Deuteronomy 8:17-18.  Government is not the golden goose that lays the golden egg of wealth.  However, one’s own abilities are also not the goose according to Deuteronomy 8:17.  However, does Deuteronomy 8:18 tell us that God is the golden goose?

The answer in my interpretation of this scripture is no for the passage does not tell us that God gives us wealth but gives us the power to get wealth.  This power lies dormant within us, like a light switch in the off position, unless we learn how to turn it on.  We therefore have a responsibility to use the God given power within us to acquire wealth. 

However, this scripture is not telling us that there is some magical power within us that when unlocked causes us to become millionaires as some teach.  The word wealth in Deuteronomy 8:17-18 is Lig which means strength, might, as well as wealth.  In other words, scripture is telling us that God grants us the ability and strength which can result in the creation of wealth.  We must therefore learn how to use our inner God given abilities to acquire wealth.  The golden goose is therefore learning how to unlocking our God given abilities.  Wealth, however, is not becoming a millionaire but having our needs met by God using our God given abilities (Philippians4:19).   

Unfortunately, when the President of the United States stands up and declares nobody can succeed in business without some government assistance, he is creating a dependency class of individuals who fail to unlock their own God given abilities.  In essence, this statement served to kill the golden goose God placed within these individuals, leaving them hopeless and dependent on government for their needs. 

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump differ on economic issues and provide a clear cut choice for voters this November. 

1)      Hillary Clinton – The Clinton economic recovery plan is to spend $1 trillion more on government public works programs, free day care, and college education.  Her plan falls in line with Obama’s belief that economic prosperity is the result of a government golden goose providing the golden egg.  Her belief is that by increasing the size of the golden goose of government, we will provide golden eggs for all.  However, to provide the additional $1 trillion in spending, her plan raises investment taxes and personal income tax rates.  While creating a larger mythical government golden goose, her plan kills the true golden goose of individuals tapping into their God given abilities through stifling of investment capital and individual wealth through confiscatory taxation.  Hillary Clinton’s economic plan is more of the same goose killing policies that created the current stagnant economic condition of the country.  (2)

2)      Donald Trump – In contrast, Donald Trump has outlined an economic program that has the potential of unlocking the God given golden goose in each of us.  He plans a cut in the corporate tax rate from the current 35% rate to 15%.  Not only will this reduction in the corporate tax rate serve as an incentive for companies to remain in the United States but also unlocks additional capital that will be used for innovation and growth.  He also proposed a 10% special tax rate for companies moving back to the U.S., bringing back the golden goose of these companies.  Mr. Trump also proposed a moratorium on regulation and easing of barriers to domestic energy production.  Today’s industrial and information economy cannot function without a sufficient supply of energy.  By increasing domestic energy production through reduction of regulatory barriers, Mr. Trump’s plan insures the golden goose has the energy it needs to thrive into the future.  (3)

This is why I cannot support Hillary Clinton’s golden goose killing policies and instead will vote for Donald Trump this election because his policies will take the golden goose off of life support and allow it to thrive. 

1. C-Span. Obama: If You've Got A Business, You Didn't Build That . www.youtube.com. [Online] YouTube, July 16, 2012. [Cited: September 10, 2016.] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKjPI6no5ng.

2. Moore, Stephen. Hillary Clinton’s economic agenda risks another recession. www.washingtontimes.com. [Online] The Washington Times, August 28, 2016. [Cited: September 10, 2016.] http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/28/hillary-clintons-faulty-economic-plan/.

3. Phillip Bump, Amber Phillips, and Callum Borchers. Donald Trump’s economic speech, annotated. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, August 8, 2016. [Cited: September 10, 2016.] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/08/08/donald-trumps-economic-speech-annotated/.