THE POLITICS
OF "GIMMEE"
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"What’ya want? We’ll loot the
treasury, we’ll rob the rich and
we’ll print the rest. Just get in line!" |
by Ronald J. Manera
It was almost 48 years ago
when President John F. Kennedy, in his historic inaugural
address, uttered the now-famous phrase: "Ask not what your
country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."
What brave words from America’s young president and what a
challenge for her citizens.
How things have changed.
Perhaps Barack Obama, in
his inaugural address, should mouth words reflective of his
campaign: "What’ya want? We’ll loot the treasury, we’ll rob the
rich and we’ll print the rest. Just get in line. You don't
have to do nothing." In truth, the Republican campaign’s message
wasn’t much different.
In 2008, virtually every
American voter stood up proudly and shouted, "What are you going
to do for ME?" And there was absolutely no shame in it.
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IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU... |
Somehow, the grasping for
personal benefit was almost viewed as patriotic, righteous. As
if one’s highest, most significant calling as an American was to
vote oneself the assets of other Americans and then pat
themselves on the back for having done so.
Little thought is wasted on what’s good for
the country, what is moral or where the money is coming from. It
doesn’t matter. Because today, it’s all about ME:
"I want the government to take care of all my
needs. I don’t care who you steal it from, who you raise taxes
on or what industry you bankrupt. Just get it and give it to
ME."
"I want free healthcare. I want free
education. I want subsidized housing. I want reduced interest
mortgages and I want to qualify for those mortgages even if I
have no income. I want a higher minimum wage and more mandated
benefits. And I want a big tax cut even if I pay no taxes."
Just send a check.
If you mug a rich man for $50 in a parking lot you go
to jail, perhaps for a long time. If you vote for a man who
promises to confiscate millions of dollars via the
tax system from the same man — you’re a hero and a
patriot. Go figure.
It is unlikely that I will cross Obama’s
$250,000 income threshold this year, (very unlikely), so I guess
I should be pleased that the rich will be assessed the
additional costs to pay for whatever government services and
benefits I consume next year. Yet there is absolutely nothing in
my being which would cause me to celebrate such a system.
For this citizen, at least, it’s NOT
about me. My politics haven’t changed from when I was a young
factory worker in Milwaukee to years gone past when I did cross
Obama’s income threshold by a wide margin. The rich owe me
nothing. In fact, I may owe them. They've been
carrying the tax burden for a long time.
What’s right is right. Our politicians should
be encouraging us to vote for what is moral and truly fair rather than simply
to vote for whomever promises the most government goodies; for
what we can do for our country, not for what it can do for us.
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Happy Days Are Here Again! |
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"We Got Da Money! We
Gonna Spend Da Money!
What You Want?" |
For those citizens who have less than they
wish to have, the message of hope and change should be this:
There has never been a country that offers more opportunity for
success than America. (At least until now.) There has
never been an economic system that delivers more wealth to more
people of every class than the American brand of free-market
capitalism. (At least until now.)
When the political left tells you our current
crisis is a result of evil capitalism and some fantasy about
"8 years of failed policy," remind them that there is a direct
line of responsibility for the sub-prime mortgage debacle
leading directly back to Democrat leaders Chris Dodd, Barney Franks
(the utter buffoon) and "community organizer" groups like ACORN.
The left loves to talk
about corporate greed. They are describing, apparently,
the successful efforts of corporate management teams that are
paid to maximize profits for their shareholders. This is
capitalism - not greed. It is a big part of what has made
America great. Isn't this what we all do when we run our
businesses? Attempt to maximize profit? Have any of
you offered to reduce your commission rate because the public
thought you were "greedy" to be earning a profit?
In truth, there is nothing
more greedy than an American citizen, having failed to take
advantage of the enormous opportunity afforded by this country,
who now wishes to simply confiscate the wealth and income of
another citizen via the political system.
As we slide happy and
oblivious
towards socialism, with the government more and more invested in
the private sector, we will watch the creation of the American
nanny-state where every one of our life's needs are met by all-knowing
bureaucrats in Washington. Lose your self-reliance.
Lose your self-determination. You won't need any of it.
Just sit back with your hand out.
It's all about you. It's
the politics of "gimmee."
- Editor |
