Absolving Personal Responsibility II

I realized that I had more to say about personal responsibility so here is another blurb. The last entry was a rant against liberals and their confused idea that only the rich are responsible for things that happen to them. If you have money or are connected to the ability to get to money, you become a target. It is almost as confused as the conspiracy theories the crackpots keep coming up with about everything from global warming to moon landings to Presidents planning terrorist bombings. What it boils down to is some people continuously delude themselves that anything bad that happens to them is the result of someone else’s actions. How did we create a group of people that so effectively lie to themselves? I think the solution is obvious. It started out with the best of intentions and was latched as a way to foster paternalism. I am talking about the government interfering in our every day affairs.

We seemed to be a nation of people who made things happen up until the Great Depression. Sure we had some government interference like income tax and prohibition but those do not create a class of people expecting hand outs. It causes people to look for ways around the system which is human nature. Who does not want to hold on to as much of their hard earned wages? When the government got into the business of providing jobs to people through the public works projects, it provided millions of Americans the pride of contributing to themselves and their families. It also started our nation down that rocky slope of interfering in our every day lives. Next came the old age pension or social security. Now the government has committed itself to taking care of us in our old age. What can go wrong there? It is a way of ensuring that no one has to suffer in their retirement.

Both of these programs have provided the government with more opportunity to come in and take care of us. If they had been left alone and stood as they were, it would have been fine. Unfortunately, politicians used it as a way to curry favor with their parties by expanding it to welfare, Medicare, expanded social security. All of these programs remove the responsibility for personal responsibility. I can sit at home and get a check. I can have my rent subsidized forever. There are any number of approaches that those who prefer the public dole to take. By providing continuous assistance, it teaches that you do not have to be responsible for you actions. Someone will take care of you. Now don’t think that I am heartless. Some people use these programs to get back on their feet. Congratulations, you are to be commended. They were designed to be a safety net, not a way of life, if you can call living a lie living.

Icool

Cobb