The Horse and Sparrow Economic Theory: 

The Interplay Between the 2017 Tax Bill, Greed, and Spiritual Leadership

“There are those who believe that if you just legislate to make the well-to-do prosperous, that their prosperity will leak through on those below.”

-William Jennings Bryan

“Mr. Hoover was an engineer. He knew that water trickles down. Put it uphill and let it go and it will reach the driest little spot. But he didn’t know that money trickled up. Give it to the people at the bottom and the people at the top will have it before night, anyhow. But it will at least have passed through the poor fellows hands.”

-Will Rogers

“’In the days of my youth,’ said John Kenneth Galbraith, ‘the trickle-down theory was called the horse and sparrow idea of economics: If you feed a horse enough oats, some of it will go through the horse and then fall on the road for the sparrow.’”

Here is a short list of the various terms/descriptions people have used to describe the basic economic theory behind our present proposed 2017 Tax Bill:

• Trickle Down Economics
• Supply Side Economics
• Laissez-Faire Capitalism
• Raw Capitalism
• Reaganomics
• Political Voodoo
• The Rich Pissing on the Poor
• The Horse and Sparrow Theory

Pope Francis actually addressed trickle-down economic theory in his Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium”:

"Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitable succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system."

Read Pope Francis’ words again: “This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system."

Pope Francis speaks truth because there is a foundational flaw in human beings that determines and assures the eventual failure of the trickle-down economic theory (or as I will refer to henceforth – the horse and sparrow theory). This foundational flaw is GREED. Left to our own devices without spiritual and moral challenge & accountability, humans are greedy.

Let’s examine some very simple teachings by the Carpenter from Nazareth found in Luke chapter 6 of the New Testament. Jesus says the following while teaching his disciples:

• "If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them."
• "Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back."
• "And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But . . . lend to them without expecting to get anything back."

Jesus tells the story of a Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke chapter 16. He paints a very clear picture of greed and the gap between the rich and the poor (sounds like Income Inequality to me) right at the beginning of the story:

    "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen

    and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named

    Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the

    rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores."

And then in Luke chapter 12, Jesus says, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." And then he proceeds to tell the story of the man who used his abundance of resources (money saved through tax cuts) to build bigger barns so he could store up his resources (Did someone say "buybacks"?) and "take life easy; eat drink and be merry." Jesus called this man a fool! And said his life would be taken from him.

And then this lowly Carpenter from Nazareth speaks these profound words:

     "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat:

     or about your body, what your will wear. For life is more than food,

     and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not

     sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.

     And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by

     worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do

     this very little think, why do you worry about the rest?"

     "Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet

     I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one

     of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is

     here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more

     will he clothe you--you of little faith! And do not set your heart on 

     what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world

     runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need 

     them. But seek his kingdom, and these thinks will be given to you 

     as well.

There is absolutely nothing in the teachings of the Carpenter from Nazareth that remotely compares to the horse and sparrow economic theory and yet some of the strongest support for this theory and for the 2017 Tax Bill comes from Evangelical Christians.

Surprising??? Not really. The disconnect between the teachings of Jesus Christ and the actions and beliefs of his present day followers in the USA is often as wide as the wealth gap in our country. People who call themselves Christian and support the horse and sparrow theory and support the politicians who are implementing this economic theory, thus supporting the creation of "Rich Men" and massive numbers of "Lazarus'", are living completely incongruent lives. And the majority of spiritual leaders remain silent.  Could it be because too many spiritual leaders are "playing the game" themselves?

A modern day story to end with . . . 

A group of young adults were giving the entirety of their time, talent, and treasure (and they had very little treasure to give) in service with an at-risk neighborhood on the west side of Chicago. Relationships were being built, dreams were birthing, and lives were beginning to change. A wealthy suburban church was helping make this happen with their financial support. Then one day the lead pastor of the suburban church informed us that the church could no longer afford to support these young adults and the work they were doing.

I challenged the lead pastor with the following: If every person on staff at your suburban church (and there were about 25 people on staff) would take a 5% pay cut, you could continue to fund these young adults and everything they are doing on the west side of Chicago. Paula & I were already giving close to 50% of our income so I thought 5% would be extremely doable for their staff and the impact on their individual lives would be negligible. Well . . . all I received back was a blank stare and you guessed it, my challenge was not accepted. A few months later we had an ending program with the community and our young adults ceased their work with the community and the church/center on the west side and went on with their lives elsewhere. And . . . within just a few years, the wealthy suburban church built an even "Bigger Barn".

"For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."

We need Kingdom people, followers of the Carpenter from Nazareth, to stop embracing failed and foolish economic theories and creatively devise a Kingdom economic theory. Right now, we are simply running with the pagans!