# Housing, freedom, and the threat of civil unrest
*2020-10-18*

> Bill Young and John O'Rourke discuss the potential impact of Joe Biden's housing platform on American property rights and the broader risk of social instability leading up to the 2020 election.

## A Prayer for the Nation

We begin today with a serious look at the current state of our country. Before diving into the issues, we want to start with a special election prayer. We ask the Lord Jesus Christ, who told us to give Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God, to enlighten the minds of the American people. We pray that we choose a president and government officials according to His divine will—leaders who respect the sanctity of unborn life, marriage, marital relations, the family, and the Asian [unclear]. We seek the wisdom to give God what belongs to Him, confident that doing so will bring an abundance of blessings to our nation.

## The Threat to the American Dream

Looking at the housing platforms of the candidates, there are deeply concerning points in Joe Biden's proposal. While some points sound reasonable, such as investing in affordable housing, there is a specific mention of withholding federal funds from states that refuse to repeal zoning regulations, with an emphasis on ending single-family housing. This is a critical issue. If the government begins pushing to end single-family zoning, it threatens the very foundation of the American dream.

This shift mirrors some of the sentiments expressed by Pope Francis regarding personal property becoming a secondary right. Historically, under Pope Leo XIII, the right to one's home was a primary right. If people feel their homes are no longer secure, we could see total insurrection and chaos. Regardless of political affiliation, few people are willing to simply hand over their homes to the government.

## The Erosion of Liberty and the Lesson of Venezuela

This isn't just about housing; it's about life and liberty. We are seeing a pattern of censorship in the media—from social media platforms banning news articles to the lack of coverage regarding Joe Biden's family business dealings in China. When you combine this with the talk of 'packing' the Supreme Court, you see an attempt to remove the checks and balances that protect our Bill of Rights. 

We can look at Venezuela as a cautionary tale. It was once one of the wealthiest countries in South America, and many of its citizens believed it was too big and prosperous to fall to communism. Yet, it happened. We are not too big to fail here in the United States. The erosion of our judicial independence is the first step toward a system where there is no separation of powers, only a centralized authority.

## Comparing Visions for Housing

In contrast, President Trump's housing plan focuses on keeping zoning decisions local, arguing that the federal government should not be in the zoning business. He also proposes a program to help foster children with housing once they age out of the system at 18. This is a vital cause; many foster children are essentially thrown out on their birthday without a support system. Trump's approach emphasizes reducing homelessness for veterans and families without infringing on the property rights of suburban homeowners.

## Faith, Leadership, and Objective Truth

We are also concerned about the role of the U.S. Catholic bishops. There are reports of funds being directed toward organizations like 'Faith in Action,' which supports policies we find problematic. We must ask if our donations to church charities are being used to support candidates who believe in abortion on demand and other ideologies contrary to Catholic teaching. We appreciate bishops who speak out and ask the hard questions: Is the baby in the womb a human soul capable of pain? Does social justice not demand that the most innocent of humanity be protected?

As St. Pope John Paul II once noted, much of contemporary thinking has abandoned the law guaranteed by the Creator. When nothing is considered intrinsically good or universally binding, we are left at the mercy of those in power. We must return to objective truth to find our way out of this confusion.

*We must protect our fundamental freedoms and property rights, as the loss of these liberties would lead to a devastating loss of stability and faith in our nation.*