At a recent gathering of friends someone posed the idea that we had seen the high point in American civilization and it was downhill from there. Some raised the point that we had elected a different kind of President and he was making big changes to turn things around. However, the point was made how those in his own party were doing their best to sabotage him and his policies. Some agreed that we were in great danger and may have slid too far to recover.
America was started unlike any other country; it was not a tribe, a group who had lived on the land for thousands of years and all spoke the same language and most had the same religion. The people who came, came from different tribes, some from the same tribe but of a differed religious beliefs. But America was a different set-up. The great rock philosopher Bono said America “Was an Idea” where you could make your own way not hindered by birth, you could make your own way. You could go as far as your ideas, skill and dedication would take you, not like the old countries.
We were certainly the “Land of Opportunity” where you could start with nothing and become famous, wealthy or whatever you wanted only limited by your dreams and dedication. They came from far and wide and worked their magic which created a country of great wealth and it became a superpower. After World War 2 it was undamaged by the war and was a manufacturing powerhouse. But the country had a heart and helped countries to rebuild thus giving away much of our wealth. Our heart was big maybe too big for our own good.
After seeing the agony of war ravage countries we helped rebuild and they became strong then we looked at our own poor and said “we must help them” so we created the “War on Poverty” which gave people money instead of jobs. Money was easy to give but jobs were much harder to create. Unfortunately, the law of unintended consequences kicked in and we created a class of people who were unskilled and dependent upon the government handouts. A safety net sounded good but soon became a tool of enslavement. A whole generation grew up not knowing anyone who worked and not knowing how to work. But it was easy money.
Unfortunately, America had changed the voting system from only allowing men landowners a vote to everybody could vote. It had very important improvements but one downside was that people who were not contributing could vote. So those who were living off the government could elect people who would promise them more and that they did. Recently an e-mail made the rounds stating that 10 states had more people getting benefits from the government, than those working and paying for those benefits. As someone might guess, most of those states are those run by Democrats who promise more handouts. No wonder they keep winning in those states.
The bottom line is, will we embrace socialism where those working support those who choose not to work or do we return to “The Idea Country” where you are free to make your own destiny. The number of those living off the work of others is growing and they will soon make that decision for us unless we stand up and resist by calling our welfare system for what it is, enslavement to a new master, the government.
We might also consider turning our Indian reservations into counties of the states, like the rest of the country, giving the natives their own mojo back!
I assume you were writing a “funny” column. If not, your wife and daughters will be furious that you implied that women voting ruined our country. Or were you referring to blacks and other people of color? Please refresh my memory as to when our country only allowed property owners to vote.
David, I was referring to people who contribute to our country by paying taxes, people who don’t pay taxes and live on welfare should not vote. When our country started, generally only white men who were property owners could vote. As our country developed we changed where women could own property and work. It was the same for people of color could own property and work for wages. They all paid property taxes and some other small taxes. When income taxes were established, those who worked paid. People living off others didn’t pay, yet they did and voted for people who promised them more free stuff. That is my point, people who are living off others and could work should not vote. Even the lowest paid should contribute something, those living off the sweat of others should not, unless there is medical or other good reason, vote. Some might argue that all pay some taxes but when you pay it with other peoples money you’re not paying anything, In the first Presidential election of 1789, only white male property owners could vote. As states developed voting requirements, it was in and out for various groups.
Mike, you are absolutely right about the people who get free money and do not work. I have seen these people the last few days in San Francisco. There are thousands of them. They spend their days hanging out in the parks and streets of San Francisco. They must be investing their free money since they are quite frugal. They do not waste their free money on food or housing. They are quite artistic as they make signs asking for food and spare change. They carry their worldly possessions around, usually in shopping carts that are provided by the generous government. And they love camping out each night. The San Francisco people, mainly charitable liberals, allow these people to sleep in their store fronts or in bus shelters. It must be a great life to be completely free and have no worries in the world.
Mike, do you realize that when you write about a “tipping point” where more people are on welfare than not you are including yourself. Those studies that have welfare recipients over 40% generally include the numbers on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. We could have a discussion about that, but it seems that if we pay into the programs our whole working careers, it is not welfare when we begin reaping benefits. Citizens on what is generally considered welfare remain a constant at about 21%. Of those nearly 50% have jobs. Most people on public assistance move off the programs in less than three years, so the 21% is constantly in flux. As I’ve mentioned before in this space, about 2% abuse the system, so that’s 2% of 21% (@ 1.4 million). We need to clean up the program and cut off the freeloaders’ checks, but that number in no way supports so many getting public assistance to represent a majority.