Posted: 25 May 2017 Michael Snyder THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG
Should everyone in America receive a “basic income” directly from the federal government? Considering the fact that we are already 20 trillion dollars in debt, such a concept may sound quite foolish to many of you, but this is an idea that is really starting to gain traction in leftist circles.
In fact, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg suggested that this was something that we should “explore” during the commencement speech that he just delivered at Harvard. For quite a while it has been obvious that Zuckerberg is very strongly considering a run for the presidency in 2020, but up until just recently we haven’t had many clues about where he would stand on particular issues. If he is serious about proposing a universal basic income for all Americans, that would make Zuckerberg very appealing to the far left voters that flocked to the Bernie Sanders campaign. Yesterday, I discussed the fact that the number of Americans that are receiving money from the government each month has reached an all-time high, but Zuckerberg would take things much farther. According to Zuckerberg, society would be far better off if everyone got an income from the government… “Every generation expands its definition of equality. Now it’s time for our generation to define a new social contract,” Zuckerberg said during his speech. “We should have a society that measures progress not by economic metrics like GDP but by how many of us have a role we find meaningful. We should explore ideas like universal basic income to make sure everyone has a cushion to try new ideas.”Such a proposal is going to look really good to a lot of people at first glance. But who is going to pay for this? Of course the truth is that the money for the people that are not working would come from taxing the people that are working. I don’t think that Zuckerberg has really thought this through. Are young people going to have an incentive to work if they can just stay home and watch movies and play video games all day while collecting their “universal basic incomes” from the government? And why would anyone want to bust their rear ends working for a living when their incomes are just going to be taxed extremely heavily to pay for all the people that aren’t working? We are already 20 trillion dollars in debt, but politicians on the left just want to keep giving even more free stuff to people. During his presidential campaign, Bernie Sanders suggested that everyone in America “deserves a minimum standard of living” and that every citizen is “entitled” to universal health care, free college education and basic housing… So long as you have Republicans in control of the House and the Senate, and so long as you have a Congress dominated by big money, I can guarantee you that the discussion about universal basic income is going to go nowhere in a hurry. But, if we can develop a strong grassroots movement which says that every man, woman and child in this country is entitled to a minimum standard of living — is entitled to health care, is entitled to education, is entitled to housing — then we can succeed. We are living in the richest country in the history of the world, yet we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country and millions of people are struggling to put food on the table. It is my absolute conviction that everyone in this country deserves a minimum standard of living and we’ve got to go forward in the fight to make that happen.In previous generations, very few people would have ever taken someone like Bernie Sanders seriously. But in our day and time socialism is really starting to catch on. In fact, one survey found “that four out of every ten adults say they prefer socialism to capitalism”… The American Culture and Faith Institute recently conducted a survey of adults 18 and older. It shows not only how deeply divided Americans are on some issues but also how their view of the nation stands in many cases in stark contrast to our nation’s founding principles. Most Americans (58 percent) see themselves as politically moderate, while a quarter identify as conservative, and 17 percent as liberal. Those who were both socially and fiscally conservative, the group tracked by the ACFI in greatest detail, were 6 percent of the population.And as I noted yesterday, Millennials are particularly attracted to socialism. This could have dramatic implications for our society as older generations of Americans slowly die off. Unfortunately, there is just one huge problem with socialism. It doesn’t work. If you want to see the end result of socialism, just move to Venezuela or North Korea for a while. In socialist nations, there is very little incentive to work hard. Instead, people tend to become very lazy and expect the government to provide everything that they need. When people work hard and are productive, the overall wealth of a society goes up. And when people sit around and wait for someone else to provide for them, the overall wealth of a society goes down. Would Mark Zuckerberg have worked so hard to develop Facebook if he knew that the government would just come in and take most of the money away so that others could have a “universal basic income”? Yes, we want to do all that we can to reduce poverty and to build a strong, vibrant middle class. But socialism is not the answer and it never will be. |
Intercessors, Arise—The Magog Invasion May Be Closer Than You Think
DR. DAVE WILLIAMS CHARISMA NEWS
The award-winning singer and songwriter Stephen Marshall said something to me years ago that has stuck in my mind. He said, "A 150-watt light bulb can light a room, but a 150-watt laser can cut through 1½ inches of steel." That is the power of focus. Both the light bulb and the laser use the same amount of energy, but the focused laser can rip through steel strongholds.
The same is true in prayer. Unfocused prayer may light you up, but focused prayer will split and help demolish spiritual strongholds and enemy bastions in our nation.
This is—right now—the most critical hour to focus on intercession for our country and the world. The stage is being set in Europe, the Middle East and other parts of the world for prophetic events that may soon transpire on the earth according to biblical prophecies. The situations today in North Korea, Syria, Iran and Turkey scream out to intercessors, calling them to their duty stations.
In December, Israel took delivery of its first F-35 aircraft. They have ordered 50 of these high-powered fighter aircraft that can knock down 10 of the older F-15s almost simultaneously. The F-35 is the most advanced fighter jet in the history of the world. The digital data is connected to the pilot's helmet. The aircraft has stealth, not only being undetectable by radar but also having the unique ability to jam radar and disrupt signals to enemy aircraft. It is a revolutionary machine made here in America.
Now, apparently, Iran (Persia) does not want Israel to take possession of this incredible aircraft. Even Russia is nervous about it. We're told in Ezekiel 38 and 39 there will be a "Magog" invasion in the days ahead (which, by the way, is believed both by Christian and Jewish theologians.) This Magog invasion of the Holy Land could occur before the Israeli fighter pilots are fully trained in the F-35s. The Magog invasion will take place; the question is when. This attack will initiate the first major phase of Armageddon. It could happen within weeks. Or intercessors could unite and perhaps hold if off for a season.
With the election of Donald Trump, some Christian leaders have said that America has received "a reprieve." One prophet wrote that America had been given a "stay of execution." Very few Americans discerned the real global agenda of the far left.
Because of the lawlessness in our country over the past years, we were, according to Franklin Graham, ripe for judgment. His assessment is absolutely in harmony with God's Word. If we have indeed been given "a reprieve," as many are saying, we must maintain the victory of that reprieve.
When the children of Israel entered the promised land, they still had a daily fight to drive out all the enemies and to conquer lands, streams and mountains. The battle was not over just because they set foot in the promised land. The same is true now. The fight is not over just because we have a president who is sympathetic with the Christian church and is willing to call out radical Islam for what it is.
That's why it is not the time to rest but to get back on the wall and be the watchmen God has called us to be. Intercessors, arise! You are priests of the kingdom.
Think of those Christian families trapped in villages taken over by ISIS in Syria. You've read the stories of brutality. I read about a 14-year-old boy who was beheaded in front of his crying mom and dad because he missed a call to prayer. We cannot allow more of those into America who are determined to harm us, even though we know ISIS and ISIS motivated Islamic jihadists are already here, according to national intelligence groups. The former director of the FBI, James Comey, stated that ISIS now has a presence in all 50 of the United States.
Perhaps through our prayers and intercession God will relent, soften the judgment we deserve or cancel it altogether and, instead, leave us a big blessing. I believe the ball is in our court. The intercessor, in partnership with the Holy Spirit, will now determine how America will go, either with the blessings of God or under the horrible bondage of a curse leading to strong delusion. Many believe Donald Trump is president today because of the enormous amount of intercessory prayer leading up to the election. Prayer groups were led by Mary Colbert, Michelle Bachman and hundreds of others.
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may declare the goodness of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Pet. 2:9).
The church represents another world: God's kingdom. God is certainly about to do something big through His church, and I want to be a part of it. And I know you do, too.
Supernatural power is given to us by the Holy Spirit to do what God has called us to do. We are limited in ourselves, but He takes the limits off by his Spirit. So everywhere we go, we carry the presence of another world. The Holy Spirit has unlimited resources, and God wants to demonstrate His boundless grace and kindness to us by working infinitely beyond our capabilities.
"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation ... (1 Pet. 2:9a).
As a believer, you are a priest. A priest is an intercessor. An intercessor is a person who prays for people and against the kingdom of darkness.
Intercessors, arise! You are priests of the kingdom. America can only be great again when God's hand of blessing returns and believers respond with gratitude and militant intercessory war in the spirit.
This is the prayer checklist I use when praying for our nation and the world:
- President Trump and his family
- President Trump's cabinet and staff
- Senators and Congressmen
- State officials
- Local officials
- An end to deception in America
- Against the spirits behind ISIS and Islamic jihadists
- Israel, the only real democracy in the Middle East
- Churches/pastors/leaders
- Revival, renewal, awakening
- College campuses—eject extreme leftist, socialist professors
- Police and firefighters
- Schools/teachers/professors
- Orphans/widows
You are a priest in the kingdom. Rise up now in a prayer partnership with the Holy Spirit and other believers. Let's change the course of our nation. 
Charisma House has just released Dave's latest book, Hope in the Last Days.
Dr. Dave Williams served for over 30 years as pastor of Mount Hope Church in Lansing, Michigan, with over 500 outreach ministries around the world. Dave led the church in giving over $40,000,000 to world and local missions. His leadership training course, The Art of Pacesetting Leadership, is credited with catapulting one church from 226 to over 4,000. Another church went from 8 to over 1,000. His all-time best-selling book, The New Life: The Start of Something Wonderful, is a practical, step by step guide to help new believers become established in their Christian walk and has sold over 2.5 million copies. His latest book, Hope in the Last Days, is published by Charisma House. Dave now focuses on helping young ministers whenever he has an opportunity.
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