July 3,
2009
EDITORIAL
The economy: It's always someone else's money
|
The basic problem, as
we see it, is that more and more people are becoming dependent on government entitlements, handouts, and set-asides.
When President Barack Obama promises that 60 percent of Americans will pay little or no federal taxes (the ultimate irony: people with no income getting the "earned income" credit when they had no earned income), this ultimate form of vote-buying pandering ensures permanent dependency on government.
We see this entitlement mentality all around us. It takes the form of subsidies and giveaways for everything from electricity, "lifeline" telephone service, and natural gas, to rent control, food ("dignity cards"), welfare, mortgage bailouts, and, coming soon, universal health care.
Can't afford it? In over your head? No problem.
Someone else's money, and the fruit of someone else's labor, will solve your problems for you.
What happened to the self-reliance and -resourcefulness that made this country great?
As a nation, we like our entitlements. Perhaps the worst example, Social Security, is a gigantic wealth-redistribution and Ponzi scheme that would mean a prison sentence for the ringleaders if anyone but government ran it.
"Special rights" trump individual needs and self-determination every time.
After all, we must all do our part to provide for the "greater good."
If Ayn Rand were alive today, she would have a field day.
The larger issue: Will we turn off the spigot, even if not doing so means more and more government meddling and control over our lives?
Probably not, at least for 60 percent of us.
|
