Dispensed

Yesterday Cook County officials decided to disregard a state law that specifies when the effective date for recognizing “gay marriages” will begin. The law, passed without popular approval, stipulates that the start date is June 1. Chicago officials, however, dispensed with that and started the party yesterday.

Whether it’s Cook County or President Obama, I’m becoming increasingly aware of the willingness–nay, eagerness–of Democrats at all levels to dispense with the letter of the law when it suits their political preferences. Of course, woe unto any Republican who plays fast and loose with “the law of the land”!

Three years ago, the spendthrift Democrats in Illinois rammed through a 67-percent state income tax increase, all the while promising it would be “temporary.” Yeah, right. Well, with the increase set to expire this year, I guess technically it is temporary. But instead of going back to the old rate, it looks like they want to institute a “progressive” system, raising the rates from the current “temporary” level on anyone making more than $18,000 a year. They’re trying to call it “tax reform.” It beats cutting spending, I guess!

What does this have to do with the propensity of Democrats to only follow the laws that they like? Only this: I propose that Illinois taxpayers go back to paying the old rate from three years ago, not the “temporary” tax hike and especially not the new “tax reform” rates that are coming.

After all, if the letter of the law is dispensable for Democrats, why can’t the rest of us choose what laws we want to obey?

About Stan Guthrie

Stan Guthrie is an editor at large for Christianity Today magazine and for the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview. His latest book is God's Story in 66 Verses. He also is author of All that Jesus Asks: How His Questions Can Teach and Transform Us, Missions in the Third Millennium: 21 Key Trends for the 21st Century, and A Concise Guide to Bible Prophecy. He is co-author of The Sacrament of Evangelism. Besides authoring, writing, and editing books, Stan is a literary agent, bringing together good authors, good books, and good publishers. Stan writes the monthly Priorities colum for BreakPoint.org. He has appeared on National Public Radio's €œTell Me More,€ WGN's Milt Rosenberg program, and many Christian shows, including The Eric Metaxas Show and Moody Radio'€™s €œNew Day Florida.€ A licensed minister and an inspirational speaker, he served as moderator for the Christian Book Expo panel discussion, Does the God of Christianity Exist, and What Difference Does It Make?
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