Changing the Face of Hunger

I am not a Democrat. No way. Sometimes I think I am a Republican. More frequently, I claim to be a Libertarian. Most of the time I am disgusted with the whole thing, constantly dismayed to see the extent to which both major parties part with their own principles and the third party is ineffective in applying theirs.

Tony Hall is a Democrat most Evangelical voters could embrace. He's pro-life, and highly principled in his service to our country and to the poor. He served in Congress, representing the Dayton, Ohio area, for over 2 decades. Early in his career in Congress, he became convicted that his task was not just to serve his district or his country, but to use his position to serve the poor and oppressed around the world. With Mother Theresa as his model, who said, "You do the thing that's in front of you," he has worked around the world to address hunger. Most of us don't have the kind of opportunities in front of us as he has had as a congressman and ambassador, but we can certainly do what's in front of us.

It is refreshing to read of a congressman who does so much out of conviction, and he acknowledges that he has received some criticism for not paying as much attention to his home district constituents. However, he was reelected several times; they must have appreciated and approved of what he was doing. I do tend to be a little cynical, though. Hall spends a lot of time tooting his own horn. I wish I knew more about his policies and votes during his time in Congress. My problem with guys like this are their reliance on government as the solution to every problem. He pays lip service to individual action and private initiatives, but most he's a fan of government programs and intervention. That's the correct perspective for a Dem, but that's why I am not one!

He has lots of fascinating anecdotes here, and the reader will certainly be convicted to "do the thing that's in front of you." But please don't look here for a blueprint for foreign or domestic policy.