Money makes the world go 'round

I had the afternoon off and was flipping channels while I waited to switch over some laundry. I came upon a re-run of a recent edition of FRONTLINE entitled "Big Sky, Big Money." And, as FRONTLINE usually succeeds in doing, it sucked me in. I watched this story unfold about campaign finance, and outside funding groups who raise money, have no legal responsibility to disclose where these funds come from, and who use these funds to promote "issues," but really, to take down opposing candidates. I cannot convey in words how disgusted this investigation made me feel (you'll have to watch it to see what I mean). I am always surprised by human willingness to do smarmy, despicable, dishonest things, and to think that exploiting legal loopholes somehow makes their actions right

The piece mentioned the billions of dollars that will be spent in campaign season across the country, and I couldn't help but think about what a horrible waste of money that seems to me. Investing such an incredible amount of money in order to drag someone's name through the mud so that your favorite person can win the political game...while in the meantime, our economy continues to struggle and people in our country and around the world live in severe poverty. Isn't there a better use of billions of dollars?

Meanwhile, I think about how I will sleep outside in a box tomorrow night. I'll do this because I am raising money and awareness for homelessness in our community. I'll do it to support the work of Bridge Communities, a community organization that helps homeless families get back on their feet. I will sleep out because there are people in need who rely on others to help them survive.

Our church's goal is to raise $3000. And that feels like a huge goal. Why is it so hard to raise $3000 to help people in need, but elsewhere in the country, there are billions of free dollars being used to pitch attack ads against opposing political candidates? This is one of those days when I feel angry.

Billions of dollars would help homeless families, and help hungry families, and help starvation across the world, and that money could create jobs and fund college scholarships and build hospitals and improve public transportation....

I am so ready for campaign season to be over. And I am so ready for people to be generous in ways that actually matter.