Plagiarism and the Pastor: Churn Your Own Butter

Ralph Hedley, "The Butter Church'" 1897

"Enjoyed your message, pastor," say the many who meet and greet him at the church's door. All the while, the pastor is curiously racking his grey matter to figure out just what they enjoyed. Wonder why? It must be because this sermon really was good. After all, it sounded so good on the Internet that the pastor "borrowed" it so that his congregation could be as blessed by it as he was.

But there was a problem with this sermon. The pastor had not given any credit to the original author. This is known as plagiarism. Or, as it is also known: intellectual theft. Theft? Isn't that a harsh word? No. It is the truth! Plagiarism is stealing.

When one takes an idea from another without crediting the appropriate source and claiming that thought as his own, he has stolen that idea and becomes a law-breaker (even with good intentions). Webster’s Dictionary defines plagiarism as "to take the thoughts or ideas of another and claim them as one's own." It is from the Latin - plagiarus - meaning to 'kidnap.'

A quarterback at Auburn University in the late 1980s experienced the accusation of plagiarism. He had an up and down career while at Auburn. It seemed that his off the field troubles just multiplied with each passing month. Late in his career; he was suspected of plagiarizing a term paper for a senior level class.

What had he done? He had failed to place a footnote after one sentence in a large term paper. The cost? The quarterback was benched for the highly valued homecoming game against Mississippi State and given an "F" in the class. Many were outraged; academics wanted him removed from the football team and school; football fanatics wanted him reinstated in the class. After all, it was just one sentence. But, IT WAS NOT HIS. He stole it and took credit for that thought as if it had been his own. Now we live in a time where there are Web sites and clearinghouses exclusively devoted to helping students lie their way through their assignments.

Similarly, plagiarism seems to be growing among pastors. There are numerous pastors (let me add, these are good men, who love Jesus and his people passionately) currently under discipline in numerous denominations for the sin of stealing the thoughts of others. They didn't steal money out of the collection plate. They stole sermons from other preachers and presented them to their congregations as if these sermons were their own.

There are many resources within a computer's reach that will easily help a pastor in expressing God's truth. There are subscription services that will give an eager pastor the text, outline, illustrations, and even bulletin format for each week's service. All the pastor has to do is pay the fees for the Internet services, buy the books, and do a little studying of someone else's work.

Why is this happening? What are the consequences? Is there a cure? I am confident that the answers to these questions are like the interlocking Olympic rings that overlap in many ways.

Reasons

Let's face it; pastors are busy men. There are numerous demands on pastors' time and schedules like: Marriage and family, counseling, following up with visitors, visiting people at home or work, seeking those who are far from the fold, administrative duties, and extra-curricular activities. Sundays occur in regular intervals and getting prepared is no easy task. There is so much to do that the work on the sermon gets pushed to the edge of the desk and the pastor wakes up on Friday or Saturday and remembers, "Oh no, I haven't written a sermon yet." What to do? Time is running out and there is so much study to be done.

One cure is to go to a volume on the shelf or go to a Web site and find a good sermon on the planned text. Then, Sunday afternoon brings a brief respite and the sense of relief from getting through another one. Shortly, the cycle starts all over again.

Here are some reasons pastors are resorting to theft when preparing sermons and lessons.

1. Managerial ineptitude/Prioritizing: Pastors may not be experienced at managing a clock or calendar beyond scheduling major holidays, family events, and vacations. Those tasks that "appear" most urgent tend to get first priority. The "tyranny of the urgent" has ruined many capable and competent men. Rather than prioritizing those tasks in one's schedule that should have first, second, third place, a pastor becomes a "firefighter" who busies himself solving the problems of others while not giving himself to those things that need his best attention.

2. Lack of Planning: Failure to plan is planning to fail. Because some ministers are not experienced at efficient time management, they fail at organizing their week and sticking to the plan. Again, this leads to pushing sermon preparation to the end of the line (or the last minute). After all, the sermon is the last event of the week, why shouldn't it be the last event completed?

3. Intellectual intimidation: Some pastors may be intimidated by the knowledge of their flock and want to show the congregation that they know what they are talking about. So the pastor will find a well-read pastor's works and simply repeat it. Once they've found a minister who just knows how to say things, they begin to rob that man's mind and pen because "it can't be said any better than that."

4. Laziness: I know this is a harsh word, but the truth: People do what they want to do first and foremost. This leads to laziness with regard to those things that aren't as fun or pleasurable. Self-starters are rare people. With so many pastors working alone, there is usually no one around to hold the man accountable for his time and energies.

5. The Fear of Man: Jack Miller said that he was an "approval suck:" a vacuous being that would do much to gain approval from others. I am sure that Miller was not a rare person. Some pastors are addicted to the approval of others. They diligently labor for the 'attaboys' of their congregants. So these pastors become skilled at R&D (Robbing and Duplicating). Once they've found the 'right' sermon, they preach it because they sense that they are being judged for every word that comes out of their mouths and they want everyone to like them along with what they say.

6. Attempting to Develop a 'Good Style’: Some men may worry that their style of preaching does not meet a certain standard and attempt to mimic someone else. Of course, in doing this they give up their own identity and become someone they are not.

7. Spiritual Warfare: We cannot minimize the spiritual warfare that is waged in the pastor's study. Satan hates Jesus. Consequently, he hates and actively seeks to destroy those who love Jesus and want to serve him well.  I am convinced that the rise in plagiarism is a direct result of the temptations and pressures from our enemy.  There are many pastors who report that they have little-to-no zeal for personal study of the Scriptures.  This can be due to many factors, but spiritual warfare is high on that list.

Consequences

Plagiarism in school will cost you a grade or advancement. But, plagiarism in the pulpit has a much higher cost. Once a man leaves the confines of seminary and internship and gets ordained, the standard of measure is very high. The pastor is called to be a man of prayer and the Word (if you check Acts 6:2, you will notice that the order and priority is prayer then the Word). He is to be a man who exemplifies the obedience, joy, love, compassion, and honesty expressed in Scripture. Members have expectations based on Scripture and their own shortcomings - wanting him to be perfect so there is at least one person in their lives whom they can count on.  At the least, the membership of a church does deserve a man who labors in the Word of God in order to feed the Lord’s sheep.

The scarlet "P" of plagiarism has "ministry killer" written all over it. Here are some consequences of plagiarism.

1. Loss of Respectability: Once a pastor steals a sermon and takes credit for it, he has become a liar. People will think, "If he's lying about this, what else is he lying about?" The pastor's word is truly his bond. If his word is good for nothing, his work will have little-to-no respect.  He may be tolerated for a time, but his effectiveness as a shepherd will greatly diminish.

2. The Lazy Label: 'Lazy' is one of the first labels thrown on a pastor who doesn't do his own homework. Laziness and being worn out are two different issues, but they both can be confused for sloth. Suspicions with regard to the pastor's work ethic can lead to the question, "What does he do with his time?" The pastor must make effective use of his time. His effectiveness and reputation ride much on his time management.

3. Loss of Credibility (at home and in the pulpit): If the pastor's work ethic and truthfulness are questioned, his authenticity will be questioned. And it won't take long for a tired pastor to simply go through the motions. Even if the pastor is a man of his word and leads a respectable life, once he steals a sermon every area of life will be questioned. About 10 years ago, a pastor-friend was asked to speak at a mission's conference. He preached his 'best sermon ever' remarked the many in attendance. A ruling elder snickered; he knew the pastor's secret because this elder had been in Dallas the month before when the original preacher first preached that 'best ever' sermon. Consequently, peers, churchmen, and community leaders mocked (and still mock) the offending pastor for "not having an original thought in his entire body."

4. Loss of Trust: This only makes sense. If a man's words are not his own, how can we trust that he is genuine about the rest of his work?

5. Loss of Job: Plagiarism has cost many men the very career and calling for which they have diligently prepared. There has been an increase in the number of men who've stood in front of a session, congregation and presbytery with their heads hung in shame as they confessed to stealing another man's sermon and claiming it as his own.

Cures and Suggestions

Pastors need help! They need help in managing their time, in leading their flocks, and in studying the Word and prayer. There are simple ways in which pastors can avoid being a plagiarist:

1. Attribution: Give credit when credit is due. If you have taken an idea from another, tell your audience. Those who have nothing to hide, hide nothing. If the pastor is regularly saying "this sermon comes to you thanks to the good folks at the Sermon Warehouse" the L-word ('lazy') will become his moniker. As one revered pastor has said regarding sermon preparation: "Milk many cows, but churn your own butter." In other words, it is okay to study and benefit from the labors of others (and we would be foolish not to study those who’ve gone before us), but make the finished product personal. God's people want to be (and need to be) touched by the hand of God through their pastor, not someone else's pastor.

2. Plan Ahead According to Priorities: Every pastor knows that his schedule will be quickly eaten away if he does not protect it. There are a few men who are two-to-six weeks ahead in their sermon preparation. They are rare. But, those men share one trait - they plan ahead. An effective pastor will have the most important parts of his weekly schedule set in concrete and painted in red: personal times for prayer and devotions, study time, family time and pastoral care. When one realizes that his time is a rare commodity, he protects that time very carefully.

3. Set Goals: Have a target in mind. If you aim at nothing, you'll always hit it. Set a goal that the sermon will be finished by a definite time each week. When the goal line is established, you must make strides every day to reach that goal on time. When the goal is set, it can actually be attained.  What happens when emergencies arise?  You work overtime, you cut out a lunch or two, you get up earlier, etc.  Pastor, you are a grown man.  Grown men get their work done.

4. Guard your time: For effective planning and time utilization, the pastor must set up safeguards around his study time. To be properly covered in the armor of God, a man of God needs quality time. It takes time to pray for the flock, pray for wisdom and study the Word of God. Ask the secretary to hold calls until mid morning. A good secretary, assistant or elder can handle the messages and calls for a few hours. Let your officers and congregation know where you have set some boundaries. Then be diligent to keep those boundaries in place. It is for your good and their benefit.

5. Guard your Environment: Create a place that is 'study-safe.' Some men can study at home when the wife and kids are out. Some can study just fine in their offices. Some need to go to the local library, a vacant Sunday school room, or other quiet place. A critical component to a 'study-safe' place is the removal of those things that will be distractions and time-cannibals: tv, internet, phone, etc.

6. Seek Help: First, from the Lord himself. Pastors are engaged in spiritual warfare and their heart, mind and attention are often the primary theaters of battle. Remember, the calling is to be a man of prayer. Secondly, seek help from your elders and deacons. No man is superman, yet a pastor is expected to be superhero. This wrong perception of his calling can lead to burn out, exhaustion and perhaps to the temptation to plagiarize. Ephesians 4 tells us that the work of ministry is not only the pastor's; it is also the work of the entire body of Christ. Enlist the help and assistance of the parish. They've been called and gifted; use them effectively.

7. Repent of the Idol Self-reliance: Some pastors may not enjoy the Word of God on their own. They are self-reliant in that they think they possess all they need to prepare a good sermon. Pretty soon, they will exhaust their shallow well of personal gifts. They may seek the joy and fulfillment that comes from diligent study elsewhere. When they steal another's work, they are not only stealing another's work, but they are robbing themselves of the joy of growing in the means of grace the Lord has given us.

8.  Rekindle a love for the Word of God:  The pastor is an essential part of the health of a congregation. His spiritual health is a good thermostat for rest of the body. As he grows, so grows the church. If he is not actively cultivating his own spiritual garden, but is taking from the labors of another, he is robbing himself of the pleasures in God's Word. He is also robbing his congregation of the pleasures of the fresh aroma of having been in the garden and tilling the soil. Pastors need to sacrifice the idol of the "perfect sermon" and enjoy the richness of the calling to be a man of prayer and the word.  I recently came upon Journibles ® and they have been a great blessing to personal Bible study.  When we labor in the basics of prayer, Bible study, and shepherding our preaching will improve. 

There is a story of a pastor whose sermons were beginning to lack enthusiasm and creativity. An elder asked, "How long does it take you to prepare a sermon?" The self-confident man replied, "Oh, just the amount of time it takes to walk from the manse to the church." The next week the session voted to buy the pastor a home across town. They knew what the pastor apparently had lost; that his time in the Word is essential to their health and spiritual prosperity.

Freedom in Christ - Get Busy Living

"Let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.  They are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.  Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind…" (Colossians 2:16-18).  

As I read through these words this morning I was struck by the amount of fear and trepidation that so many of us live with because we are afraid that others will judge us and think poorly of us.  In Colossians 2, Paul uses the phrase "no one" four times (vs. 4, 8, 16, and 18).  In each of those statements he was encouraging the Church to live the new life that God had put into them via faith in Jesus Christ; and to do so boldly without regret and fear of the cynical judgment of others.  The fear of others' judgment can be a paralyzing grip on the Christian.  

I remember when I was a young pastor and an older minister asked, "do you sometimes feel like you're preaching to a jury?"  I did have that feeling.  There have been many occasions (then and since) when the disapproving stare of a person or a cutting comment caused great butterflies in my soul.  I kept thinking "Oh, I don't want to deal with that person," "I hope they aren't in the meeting tonight," or "I better be prepared for her questions tonight."  And, this fear of disapproval led to a spiritual paralysis that hindered my enjoyment of the Good News of Jesus and my joyful teaching of that Good News.  

There is much to consider in Paul's writing, so I'll throw out two thoughts/suggestions:

1 - Don't live for the approval of others.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ makes us new and makes us righteous by the imputed work of Jesus Christ through faith in Him alone.  We are made righteous - we are justified.  It (justification) is an "act of God's free grace, wherein he pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ, imputed (we are given credit for Jesus' work) to us, and received by faith alone" (Westminster Shorter Catechism 33).  

In Jesus we are made new.  Now, we are called to live that new life; "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure"  (Philippians 2:12-13).  

God makes us righteous once (That is conversion, justification). 

He has called to "be holy."  That is the process of living out what God has put in (sanctification).

We need to be careful not to confuse the positional status of  the new life (righteous in Christ) with the calling to grow in the that new life (pursue holiness).

 

2 - Don't do anything to bring disapproval to your character. 

So, we are called to enjoy the freedom that Christ gives (freedom from legalism, freedom from judgmentalism, freedom from seeking the approval of others, freedom from sin).  We are called to live that freedom and live it boldly.  But, many in trying to out their freedom (their new life) take that freedom to be a license for spiritual sloth, carelessness or laziness.  

We are called to "be sanctified."  Those words are active, not passive.  Essentially, the Apostle Paul was saying "be being sanctified," or "be continually in the process of growing in the grace of Christ."  We aren't called to passively "let go and let God" make us more holy.  We need to regularly examine our lives and seek out ways to shed the old patterns and live the new.

All the while knowing that we have smiling approval of the Creator because of faith in His Son!  

At the end of Colossians, Paul wrote these words "Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time" (Col. 4:5) and in Ephesians he wrote "look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time" (Eph. 5:15-16).  I take that to mean that we need to make the most of the opportunities that God gives, to live boldly, joyfully, and freely as we "get the most out of life."   And, in our freedom, watch how we live, talk and treat others so that there is no cause for someone to say "what a hypocrite."  

In the words of one of my favorite movies, the Gospel (our new position) calls us to "get busy living."

Love that Surpasses Knowledge

Last night, we were studying Ephesians 3:14-21 at our Sunday evening Bible study. I've studied Ephesians a lot over the years, but last night this jumped off the page at me: "know this love that surpasses knowledge" (v. 19)

Some would take this to be some esoteric kind of love that is warm and fuzzy and that Paul's words "surpasses knowledge" would simply mean a love that is "more than words" (as the glam rock band Extreme sang about in 1991).

While the love of God is so immense, "wide, long, high and deep" as Paul wrote in v. 18, I was impressed by the context of the chapter and where this phrase sits in relation to the remainder of the book. Ephesians ch. 3 is the "pivot" chapter of the letter. It's that chapter that swings the transition from the doctrinal basis of our salvation by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, to practical application.

In view of the context of this statement, I'm pretty convinced (knowing what is to come) that Paul is encouraging us to experience the love of Christ beyond mere knowledge and beyond warm feelings. We are called to live out that love in the community of the Church and the world in which we live. I'm certain that this phrase, "love that surpasses knowledge," is Paul's way of saying "don't just have words of love and knowledge of love. Have a life of active and interactive love" (see also I Corinthians 8:1). The remainder of Ephesians will then open up to practical instruction for love in action in all spheres of our lives.

As Jesus said in John 13:35 "the world will you know you are my disciples by how you love one another."

Responding to Grace

Years ago, Francis Schaeffer asked the question "How Then Should We Live?" Probably every preacher thinks of this question when he is preparing his sermons and lessons. Many of us err greatly in answering this question.

Since Adam and Eve, people have sought to avoid accountability. Our human nature is such that we run from anything that remotely resembles accountability. We do this in two ways, as an old friend said, "we swing like a pendulum between liberty and legalism." So, where am I going with this?

The Gospel is a gift. That's grace. God saves whom He will by His mercy and love, not for works we have done or could do (Luke 10:22; Ephesians 2:8-10). So, how should we respond? There are typically two responses: Liberty and Law.

Liberty shouts joyfully, "Woo Hoo!!! I'm redeemed and forgiven! I can run wild and Jesus Paid it All." A college friend once said, "God and I have a good thing going. He likes to forgive sins and I like to commit sins." Liberty doesn't get it.

Law's response to the Gospel is quite different. It's joyful but it's looking for the rule book (or to write a new one) that will force the believer to do right.

Which is right? Neither. We need balance. We need to the happy heart of the libertine and we need some of the structure of the legalist. The Bible teaches us that the most appropriate response to grace is gratitude (which has grace as it's root word).

Gratitude is the disposition of joy that comes from one who understands the Gospel: I'm a sinner saved by God's free and amazing grace. "Now," says Gratitude, "how can I show my thankfulness to this Loving God?"

I love the outline proposed by the Dutch and Lutherans: Guilt, Grace, Gratitude. God's law tells us repeatedly that we are guilty of sin, and sinfulness. His Gospel then tells us about his immense love for us that "while we were sinners, Christ died for us." The question then remains, "How will I respond to grace?"

I can go wild and effectively snub my nose at the giver, or I can gratefully seek to please the giver by discovering what He likes. As John Piper said, "I will be most satisfied with God when He is most glorified in my grateful heart."

We Hold These Truths

For the past several years I have made it a tradition to read the Declaration of Independence on July 4. I remember when this tradition began, I was struck by the terse nature of the Declaration. It is not verbose. At that time, I was slogging my way through David McCullough's biography on John Adams and I had reached late June/early July 1776 when Adams had written Abigail to tell her the news the coming declaration that would forever sever America's ties to the Crown. He even told her that he predicted that in future times, the day would be marked with great celebration, fanfare and fireworks!!

The Declaration is short. It is to the point and it is incendiary. The point is simple: people were created by God to live freely and without the threat of a tyrant or tyrannical government. King George was esteemed to be the worst tyrant of all. At least 27 times in the Declaration George is blamed for all manner of evil. I was surprised that they didn't blame him for the flu. In John Adams, there is even a statement blaming George for importing the sinful practice of slavery to the Americas. That statement was deleted so as not to create division with the fragile wanna-be republic. The point is clear. They didn't like this guy ... at all.

The 56 men who put their name to this statement were literally putting their heads on the chopping blocks. By signing this treasonous article, there was now question about their role as traitors against the Monarch. If captured, these men (the most influential of the time) would be subject to execution. Yet they pressed on.

The words I find most stirring are those of the concluding sentence: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." This sentence is the battle cry of "Let's Do This!" The signers were putting all they had worked toward on the line for something that - if successful - would be monumental. But, if it failed, "disastrous" doesn't even come close to the right word. When I read that statement I wonder, "Am I the kind of man who is willing to sacrifice so much for a cause and for my brethren?" While I think I am that kind of man, I am ashamed that most of our country is quite cowardly. I read this morning in the Wall Street Journal that less than 1% of Americans serve in uniform. In World War 2, if a capable adult man was NOT in uniform it was out of the norm. There are very few among us who are willing to drop what they are doing, change course and take a new direction for the sake of others.

In the 1992 movie "A Few Good Men," the antagonist - Col. Nathan Jessep said something that is quite stirring. "we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns ... We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it."

While I am saddened by so many that think of honor, code, loyalty and duty as titles to video games, it encourages to me look at the very few young men and women who don't view this country as a punchline nor take for granted that "blanket of freedom" that has been provided by the sacrifices of so many.

On this day, I am thankful to be an American. I am thankful that due to the "Protection of divine Providence" I have had the luxury of living in a nation that protects freedom. I am thankful for men who have sacrificed for my sake. Men like Charles A. Miller, Patrick Tillman, and William Norred were not looking for glory or status. The men and women who have given for this nation's strength and security are the fulfillment of the dream that took flight 235 years ago in Philadelphia, PA.

Our True Super Hero

At the end of Quentin Tarantino's "epic" Kill Bill, there is a discourse by "Bill" about his favorite super-hero: Superman. In his speech, Bill explains why he likes The Man of Steel above all others in the super-hero mythology genre.

The main point of the comparison is that Superman doesn't have to BECOME someone else. He doesn't assume a different identity as others do. Peter Parker puts on a costume and becomes Spiderman, Bruce Wayne does the same to become Batman, Bruce Banner becomes the Incredible Hulk, and, most recently Tony Stark becomes Iron Man when dons the uniform.

This is not the routine for Superman. He was born Superman. When he came to Earth from Krypton and was found by the Kent family, his blanket was actually his future-cape. You see, Superman WAS always Superman. There never was a time when he was not Superman. IN fact, Superman had to set aside his real identity in order to mingle in the lives of those whom he was to serve. When Superman put on his "costume," it was the costume of one of us. He became the mild-mannered, journalist Clark Kent. When there was a need that looked "like a job for Superman," it was the costume of Clark Kent (the alter-ego) that was shed for the reality of Superman.

Philippians 2:6-11 tells us that Jesus is the REAL superman who, as God "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness... He humbled himself" in order to do for us what we could never do: living a perfectly righteous and God-pleasing life.

One preacher noted several years ago that the "swaddling cloths" that Jesus was wrapped in as an infant would have also been used as burial cloths (like those Joseph of Arimathea used to wrap Jesus' body after the crucifixion). Jesus was FAR more than some carpenter's son who later became the leader of a new religious sect when he put on his new costume and played a different role. Jesus never ceased to be God. He put on a uniform of flesh and blood in order to live the life we could not and die the death we deserve - all for our benefit and the glory of God.

Colossians 1:15-23 is a great discourse from the Apostle Paul on Jesus' mission and divinity. In verses 19 - 20 we are told that Jesus' work - on our behalf - was so right that "God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him to reconcile to himself all things ... by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

Because of the REAL Superman we, who "once were alienated from God and were (His) enemies ... because of (our) evil behavior. But now (two of the greatest words in Scripture) HE has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation" (Col 1:21-22).

Paul goes on to say "this the gospel." Indeed, it is the gospel - GOOD NEWS!

Real Budget Cuts or just more talk....

On Dec 4, 1994 the late Tony Snow wrote a suggestion in his op-ed on how to cut spending and eliminate debt in the United States. The article was entitled "How to Eliminate Welfare to Wealthy? Cut, Cut, Cut."

In the article, Snow suggested (now remember, this was 1 month after the Republicans historic sweep of Congress) that we first cut the number of Cabinet positions from 14 to 8. Here are the suggestions:

1. Eliminate the Depts of Agriculture, Energy, Interior, Labor and Transportation and move their remnants to the Dept of Commerce.

2. Eliminate the Dept of Education and HUD, then merge their "defensible" functions to a new "Dept of Health, Education and Welfare." I'll add here that since 1978 (the year Carter gave us the DoE), our kids have gotten dumber and our costs have only gotten higher. Way to go, DC!

3. Fold Dept of Veterans Affairs back into Dept of Defense.

I would add a fourth suggestion that wasn't available in 1994. Fold "Homeland Security" into Defense as well!!