I Have To Wonder If Dewey Bartlett Is An Idiot

Dewey Bartlett is the mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma. You probably have never heard of him unless you live in the area. The issue that Mr. Bartlett is facing is a budget issue. The mayor entered office just around two months ago and stepped into a budget crisis that was not properly explained to him, as he states. So now he is faced with the reality of having to layoff 150 police officers and make budget cuts that will effect other city workers, including firefighters.
    Mr. Bartlett and his mayoral staff have come up with an option that instead of laying off 150 police officers, and thus help crime rise even more in Tulsa, would cut the pay of all officers. It would also include reduction of hours and shifts on the part of the police officers. These two options, as Mayor Bartlett has said, are the only options. Mayor Dewey Bartlett is indeed an idiot.
     I don't mean to attack the man, but before he was even elected, I knew he was an idiot. Why? One day in the mail I found a flyer advertising the campaign of "Dewey Barttlet" or "Dewey Bartlett," whichever you'd prefer. At that point I knew a person that did not catch that mistake or at least have someone employed who could catch that mistake would be a person who lacked a spirit of excellence to have the job as mayor. However, I was not a fan of his opponent either. 
 
    Now please understand that I realize that the new Tulsa mayor stepped into this problem and did not create it or have any hand in it, just in trying to fix the problem. However, when you're faced with the problem and you can only come up with two options, both that hurt the people that work so hard to help the city and the city itself, and say "these are the only two options," you are an idiot.
   It's a lack of options that I have a problem with. If Mayor Bartlett was faced with the issue of fixing a problem that would save his job--his only means of income, he would do everything in his power. But he is not, and I think because it is because either he doesn't care that much about it (which I really doubt) or hie and his mayoral staff are so closed-minded that this is the only option that he can think of or wants to allow in the discussion.
    Today on the news he was interviewed and the news anchor asked about a group on facebook that was petitioning to have $5 added to their electric bill to save police officers job. He was asked his thoughts and replied that he didn't want to look at that because he wanted to show the citizens of Tulsa that their government can run on it's own, be self-sufficient, and successfully get through this and operate (paraphrased of course). The only problem is it can't, it hasn't. It's going to lay off 150 police officers (I believe that is 1/8 or so of it's force). It can not operate on it's own. It has failed. And those who will pay will not just be city employees but citizens of Tulsa when they are robbed, murdered, killed in car accidents because there are not enough police officers (or firefighters or another needed city employee) because the city has managed it's money poorly and the guy brought in to fix it can only think inside a small box that constrains any thought of creativity in dealing with such a significant mater. 
    My question is this: How come politicians can have $500 plate dinners to raise money for their campaigns when running for office, but can't call those same friends back in to buy a $20 dollar steak at $250 to help save a police officer's job that has worked so hard to protect them and other citizens of the city. How come with all the information out there, all the different things at his disposal to find an answer to this question, he can only come up with one option? I do not know how the city budget is laid out, however I do know that to only come up with two options--both of which will surely lead to a rise in crime--is idiocy.
    Every year I pass firefighters on the streets holding boots filled with cash taking donations for charities. They ask for donations, they hold fundraisers, they reach out to the public to help those in need. Now when they are in need, the government are going to let them hang out to dry. Now the one person who has been elected to deal with the budget crisis is letting both firefighters and police officers get laid off (or reduce their paycheck) all because he refuses to look at options that would help save jobs, and more importantly lives.  
    On one hand I feel sorry for Mayor Bartlett. He walked into a problem and is expected to be the savior who can fix the budget problem, keep the streets safe, and keep police officers on the street and on the payroll. However, he is no savior. He really has no answers. He has an option that is almost no better than the first choice. I feel sorry for him because he "inherited" this problem, but at the same time, I feel upset because he's trying to give an easy answer. Instead of working hard to come up with options that would save officers jobs, such as fundraisers, donations, and so forth, it seems he's taken the easy way out. Is it really easy? No. But if his job was on the line and it meant either a job or all income was taken away with no bright out look, he'd find another way. But he hasn't. Am I against the man? No. Am I for him? Yes!!! But it seems that his outlook on the issue has been narrowed down to "this or this and nothing else will work." There are more options, even if he won't look at them.
   Again, I don't know the whole story, just what I hear, read, and see. However, I know this issue at hand is not just about a person's job, it's about people's lives. And that's something too important to be left up to a two option decision.    

       

All The Promises Of God Are Yes And Amen

  
    Every now and then my son gets promised that if he's good for a certain length of time or while we're doing something, he'll get a prize of some sorts. Some times it's candy, sometimes it's a cheap little toy that you wouldn't spend a nickel on (but someone else would). Either way, he behaves for that time for 2 reasons: 1.) He knows if he is good, he'll get a toy. 2.) He knows if he isn't good, he'll get in trouble. Probably more so though, it's that promise of a surprise at the end of the excursion. That's the thing that's in front of him more so than than the thought of being disciplined.But he believes that whoever said he could have whatever it is when they're done will give them whatever it is. He believes in them. He counts them trustworthy. He's four. That's what they do. They have a child-like faith and assurance that what you say is true and you wouldn't lie.  
        2 Corinthians 1: 30 states, "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." The Apostle Paul wrote this not so you would have faith in the promise. In fact, the promise itself is really nothing in itself. Promises are not judged by the promises, but by the Character and what is known about the one who has promised. The character of the person determines the weight of what is said. 
     Hebrews 11:11 says, "Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised." Sara judged God as being faithful and trustworthy that what He had promised, He would do. Why? Because she knew Him, His character. Many people don't believe what God's Word says because they don't know Him. They don't know His character.
    Just like our authority in Jesus Christ, a promise is not valid unless the one backing it is valid. We have authority over certain things in Jesus Christ because of Jesus Christ and what He did--the one backing it. We can believe the Word of God (the promises of God) because of the one backing it--God Himself.
    We do this all the time and don't even realize it. We sit in a chair and put all of our weight on it believing it will keep us up because we believe in the person who made the chair, the materials it is made out of, and our ability not to break it with our weight. We have judged those things faithful to do what they need to do so we can sit safely in that chair.
    We use a piece of paper that has pictures of dead presidents on it to pay for stuff at stores across this nation. We do the same with metal coins. Why? Is this special paper? Kind of. It's special because of the one backing it-the United States Treasury and the United States of America (not a certain political figure but the nation itself). We have counted it trustworthy because we know it's character. It has a long track record of being faithful. It has proven that it will take that paper with a a number five on it, and it will actually be worth five dollars.
    How more should we trust in God, who was faith that when we were enemies, He still dies for us and our sins. The character of God is without question. The problem people have is their point-of-view, their opinion, or their past experiences with others have already judged God one things that do not pertain to God or His character.
    People don't believe God's Word, even when they speak it out of their own mouth because they themselves are liars and they can't believe anything that comes out of their mouth already--even if it's the Word of God. Some people can't trust God as their Heavenly Father because their won earthly father was so terrible, or they didn't even have one. Neither of those things are valid excuses and neither would hold up in a court of law if applied to any case. You can not judge the character of a man (or God) by someone else's actions. Some people want to do this on every level, but you can't. The truth is that God is faithful. His character has been proven over and over throughout ALL TIME and no one and no thing can prove Him otherwise. With the character at rest, it is only a matter of ability. God is the one who create the universe, Heavens and Earth, raised Christ from the dead, owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and silver and gold are His. God is able, He is will, His promises are yes and amen because they are true. We just have to put trust in Him to do so, and He will.