Gleaning Capitalism

This morning I read an article in the Beaverton Valley News about Heather Thompson, a woman who works for the Tualatin Valley Gleaners, a food bank that distributed more than 400,000 pounds of food in the 2008-2009 fiscal year. "The Inter-religious Action Network honored Thompson’s dedication and leadership Sunday by presenting her with its Everyday Hero Award during the group’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration."

When I lived in CA I remember walking through an orange grove and finding an occasional orange, even days after the harvesters had finished. God knows we have always been in a hurry to get things done and get on to something else. Those who hire harvesters are instructed in Lev. 19:9–10; 23:22 to leave the corners and whatever the harvesters missed for poor folks to glean. The poor had to glean for themselves; it was not gathered for them and given to them. This is an example of God's concern not only for the physical needs of the poor, but also their mental health. Do we understand the importance of self-respect?

Most of us looking for a regular paycheck don't want a handout. You can't budget, plan, hope and build a future on handouts. We thank God for the gift and the giver, but band aids are not sustainable. They don't heal the deep wounds of being unable to provide for your family.

In the ancient days at least some of the poor could eke out a living gleaning. Because they knew the seasons and the time of harvest they could pray the landowner would have a good harvest because that was good for them too. Wouldn't everyone, rather than a select few, do better if the harvest was plentiful?

Of course business is not run that way now. This year's goals and budgets are compared to last year's. If budgeted money is not spent this year, new budgets will make it unavailable next year. This means money is spent when not needed. Government and education luminaries talk about budgets, but how much reality exists in their budgets? Is capitalism built on the premise that comparing this year to last year is the only basis for success?

For example, we look at the unbelievable profits of oil companies and we ask why they think they are suffering. It is because their wonderful bottom line is compared to last year's better bottom line. We missed goal by 2%, woe is us and they sadly reinvest this year's profits and hope for a better year next year.

More and more jobs are moved overseas as companies seek to increase their bottom line, so investors will buy more stock to increase their cash flow and their 'open to buy.' You know; more equipment, more technology, higher salaries, etc. Why is it so difficult for those in ivory towers to understand the working class that seems to slow their accumulating; are the same consumers who provide their profits?

Why do they think that as more and more of the working class and educated join the ranks of the poor, the consumer base will continue to feed their need to accumulate?

It doesn't matter, but I am disgusted when some billionaire or millionaire is hailed as some great philanthropist because they give one quarter of one percent of their wealth to a good cause. I thank God for Heather Thompson and those like her.

The message of gleaning is, "We have the resources to allow everyone to work who is willing to work."

Thank God for Food Banks, shelters and those who help with little or no thanks, but bring American jobs home. We have the resources to greatly reduce welfare and the negative impact it brings to our self-esteem. Can't the other end of that customer service or tech call be to a person living and working in the United States? Why can't our cars be built here? All that economic chatter is just that, chatter. Don't you want your employees to spend their paycheck here? Is it better to hand out welfare checks and complain about your taxes going up?

Sometimes I wonder if there is a plan to move all jobs and consumers out of the United States to stop immigration. Isn't a wall between us and Mexico silly? Our biggest problem is us.