Torch, Fall/Winter 2010

Fall–Winter 2010 | TORCH 11 JONATHAN MOULTROUP | CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY Dr. Olasky: There are three lobbyists for pharmaceutical companies for every one lobbyist working for poor people. He who has the gold rules in Washington. It is much better when you have a market system where people can choose what to buy and what to sell, goods and services that someone actually wants to buy, rather than a commanding economy where you can force what you make on people. Mr. Moll: How would you evaluate the success of faith-based community objectives? Dr. Olasky: Some good things have happened, but some tax vouchers have never gotten off the ground. There is an allure of power that affected the Republicans who went to Washington in 2001. They had a choice: “Are we going to decentralize, or are we going to have the pleasure, authority, and excitement of making those decisions ourselves in Washington?” Republicans as well as Democrats like power. There is a lot of sin everywhere — coveting, arrogance. The way out of it is through individual change, spiritual change, and, as much as possible, decentralization. Mr. Moll: Is it absurd to expect the Church to do a better job than government when, historically, we have not done a better job? Rev. Wallis: Let’s be fair with our history. I can point to failed housing projects in Chicago and why they didn’t work. But the same Christians who led that movement pressed the U.S. government for Social Security, which is a government program that worked very effectively to change poverty among the elderly. To say all government programs fail is not true to history. You learn from what works and what doesn’t. The left vs. right and either/or approach will not work. We have got to find a partnership. Mr. Moll: What is something impactful on which you both agree that people can do to address poverty? Dr. Olasky: There is an enormous need for tutoring. For example, children in the fourth grade are already falling behind in reading and math skills. An hour a week tutoring a child will cause two or more things to happen. First, the