In 1995 Congress decided that something needed to be done about the mountains of paper work that was involved in publishing laws, purchasing homes, applying for credit, and any number of other “legal” procedures. Consequently the “Paper Work Reduction Act” was passed that year, and according to the governments own website, the purpose of the act was designed, among other things, to “minimize the paperwork burden for individuals, small businesses, educational and nonprofit institutions, Federal contractors, State, local and tribal governments, and other persons resulting from the collection of information by or for the Federal Government” (http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/laws/paperwork-reduction/3501.html). Although the government expected a 30% reduction in paperwork overall, between 1995 and 1999 the actual amount of paper work increased by approximately 233 million burden hours. If we consider one person working 40 hours a week, it would take him more than 5 million years to take care of the extra paper work as a result of the “Paper Work Reduction Act.” I can personally attest to the failure of the Paper Work Reduction Acts, at least so far as the impact it has had on individuals. My wife and I just closed on a house here in Fort Worth, and the stack of paper work we had to sign was approximately 2” thick, and it took us more than an hour and a half just to “sign on the dotted line” (actually several dozen “dotted lines”). The attempt by the government to “reduce” paperwork, resulted in a massive proliferation of paperwork, precisely the opposite of what the Act was intended to accomplish. The last six decades have witnessed a rapid departure from the spiritual roots of this country. Slow at first, and more accelerated with each passing year, we are now witnessing a complete casting off of all restraints. The social consequences are evident to any and all who read the daily newspaper, or log on to the internet and observe news items at your favorite website. In the last 100 years we have seen the legalization of drinking, the sale of alcohol, para-mutual betting, abortion on demand, homosexual rights, the lottery, casino halls, houses of ill repute, etc. Now politicians clamor for legalization of drugs, homosexuals in the military, homosexual marriages, and the "Freedom of Choice Act" (making it completely legal to kill children still in the womb, even up and including the point of birth). Laws passed by Congress have no effect; in fact laws passed by humanists in an effort to address moral problems created by humanists will have no better impact upon the moral ills of this country than the Paper Work Reduction Act had in eliminating excessive paper work; in fact, the result will be much worse.
In less than two years this nation’s electorate will be entering voting booths all across this country. I wonder if we have learned our lesson yet! Will we be wise enough to discern the ungodly fruit the present leadership of this country has borne (from the local politicians all the way up to the White House and halls of Congress)? Will we cast our votes based on what we can get from government in the form of more and better entitlements? Will we concentrate on what our favorite politician can give us? Or will we seek divine wisdom that is from above, and seek out leaders who will respect God’s word in the leadership they offer our failing and faltering nation? We might laugh at the results of the Paper Work Reduction Act, but I can assure you that who we choose to fill positions of leadership in political circles year after next is no laughing matter!
Tom Wacaster
