I wonder how he got as far as he did without the help of a SuperPac? It seems that no public figure these days can get by without the help of some really big money from who knows where. I mean we literally watch as our politicians are "bought" by various special interest groups. Everybody complains but the checks keep rolling in. Many people seem to think that all this influence money is not a good idea but nobody can do anything about it?
There is a line in the Book of Revelation about "the Beast." Most people remember the part about the "number of the Beast" which is 666. What we need to pay attention to, however, is not the number but what the people say about the Beast. Since the Beast is so powerful and mysterious the people say, "Who is like the Beast and who can fight against it?" The Beast is "given authority by the Dragon?" I know this revelation from long ago gets messy and mysterious with all the numbers and "angels and demons," but what I'm getting at (I know you're beginning to wonder) is that this Beast known as SuperPac seems to be impenetrable. Who can fight against it?
Jesus was offered help by a SuperPac, did you know that? Yea, it happened just after he was "elected" by voice vote. There was only one voice but it was quite a vote because it came in the midst of a clamp on thunder when folks who were lined up to get baptized thought they heard something that sounded like, "Hey listen up this is my special child. He's the one you've been waiting for. I'm so proud I can't stand it!" OK, the literal translation is, "This is my child, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased."
Jesus was then immediately offered the help of a SuperPac. Another voice, this time not from above but from "below" said, "Hey you need some help or you'll never get anywhere. Here, I've friends in 'high' places that can provide the resources you need to be powerful beyond measure. Without this help your new campaign will sputter out before it ever gets started."
Jesus, the story says, was in fact "tempted" to take the help of this SuperPac. After all, at that time in his campaign he did not even have a staff, no posters in anybody's front yard, and no War Chest from which to pull the needed resources for what looked to be a tough long fight to "win the vote."
It seems that major influence peddler from long ago set the precedent for the many temptations that come when you are offered power from places that can lead you away from what is most important. Jesus was offered a way to get things done by the voices of the power brokers of the day. Back then it sounded like; "Give me your allegiance and I'll give you all the bread you want...Jump when I say jump and you'll win the next primary...let go of those silly principals that are foolish and idealistic and let me show you what the people really want."
Too much money mixed with the promise of power have always been a volatile mixture. After all we are "only human." I think that was also one of the lines used in the wilderness with Jesus back then. I wish we could get rid of the funny money that leads to back room promises that end up affecting lots of people.
Jesus learned long before people wrote books about management principals that, "the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." High minded dreamers seem to end up in the wilderness as soon as they step off the bus in Washington. SuperPacs wait to greet them with promises and money. It was not good "back then" and it's not good now.
