Does a responsible Christian have to support higher taxes for government welfare programs?

DallasBlog.com | Rep. Bill Keffer:

“It is emphatically inappropriate and just plain theologically wrong to invoke the Bible and Christian doctrine to support the imposition and collection of taxes to fund government welfare programs. The Bible never contemplates such a proposition, but rather only calls on the individual to practice true charity. So notwithstanding the righteous reproaches of the well-intentioned, it remains a theological impossibility – and misguided public policy - to be charitable with other people’s money.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

It is a stretch to conclude that Jesus would be opposed to government welfare programs, as Rep. Bill Keffer implies. It's probably less of a stretch to conclude, as others do, that he would support our efforts to relieve poverty, sickness, infirmity. But, in any case, Jesus was not a Republican or a Democrat. Claiming his support for one's own 21st century political philosophy is presumptuous.

It is also unpatriotic and insulting for Rep. Bill Keffer to describe American democracy in terms that make it sound like a dictatorship, forcibly collecting money against the citizens' will. Let's not forget the preamble to our Constitution:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

American government is an expression of "we the people", not some authoritarian power dictating what's best for society, and not scripture, either. The government was established by "we the people" to achieve specific ends, one of which is to the promote the general Welfare. In furtherance of that goal, "we the people", through our government, have established various programs designed to help the poor, infirm, and elderly. It's a political decision that "we the people" have made to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. Whether Rep. Bill Keffer finds scriptural support or not is beside the point.