Federal programs that need to go...
A little over two weeks ago President Bush talked about cutting government programs that are proven to not be working, as to cut back on discretionary spending and in turn spending overall that is done by the government. Thanks to Brian Riedl, of The Heritage Foundation, another program has been identified - a program that gives government money to corporations that make billions of dollars a year anyway. In other words they don't need it and that money can be spent doing other things that actually help people that need it, or God forbid not at all.
Something that I believe is related to this comes out of a conversation I had with my brother last night. He and I were at the grocery store with my Mom last night, assisting her, when we came across this younger guy and his wife who were getting groceries as well. My brother caught on to the fact that they were using food stamps, something I've never actually seen but heard about. He and I got to discussing how blessed we both are with the circumstances that we live in. This led me to comment on one of the reasons I want to go to DC, so that I can be involved in things that help people. Now when I talk about that, I'm not talking inso much through government programs or throwing money at things, which Congress is "great" at, but motivating them to achieve. See, the government ends up "enslaving" people that it assists through welfare or giving them money or housing because they become dependent on it. They keep thinking that it will keep comming, and it does, so they become lazy, wanting to live off the system and not fend for themselves.
Now there are cases where people honestly do need the government's assitance, and that's fine, hence why the systems and programs exist. However, it's those that become lazy, those that become wefare "kings and queens" that concern me, because they believe that they can just keep having sex and popping out kids for more money. What kind of life is that for the kids that are born? It isn't! Combine a child's need for love in a family where he or she is one of many and doesn't get much love with what they are taught in school about their origins through liberal leaning teachers and a broken system (that needs to be fixed not abandoned - because most kids won't have another alternative) and what do you get - a generation of children who are lazy and unmotivated, because "if i'm an accident then what is my point, what is my purpose? I have none".
All of that starting with "government assistance" and compounded by other institutions that are overseen by the government. The key here is incentive and motivation. Welfare to work, pioneered by Michigan, is a great example. If someone needs government assistance, great, give to them - for a time - then move them to work, so they become a productive member of society, instead of just sucking off the system.
Some might ask how did we get here? I believe it's because of two things: the breakdown of the nuclear family and the faltering of the church. During my grandparents generation that changed. In generations before them, the family and the church are where people turned for assistance. This changed in the 30's as a result of the great depression and FDR's policies that got things running again for the country. Now I don't fault him, because these programs were meant to end once the country was back on stable footing, and no one can deny the properity of the 1950's that came after WWII. I think the fault lies with LBJ and his utopian dream of a "Great Society" where government has all these programs to make people dependent and lazy. This comes out of a generation during the 60's where society was delivering messages that complimented this idea of laziness through "drugs, sex, and rock and roll". The generation of the baby boomers latched on to this and it's continued to present day (save for Regan's attempts to halt spending where he could). This should have never happend, as the family and the church should have been able to step in and assist, but the socital barrage that has assulted both institutions in the last 40 years or so and weakened them in the eyes of a society that wants to be free of responsibility and "archaic institutions" that represent the idea of personal responsibility and accountability. So when these institutions are prime providers and are not wanted, all that is left is government assistance.
Where do we go from here? Positive (meaning accoutable and moral) forces in society need to assist in the rebulding of the church and the family as institutions and the mental image that many have of Christianity as a religion of judgementalism and gulit trips need to change. Only then will the reversion of what's happened be possible, and the governments strangle-hold on those that need help will begin to end.
Something that I believe is related to this comes out of a conversation I had with my brother last night. He and I were at the grocery store with my Mom last night, assisting her, when we came across this younger guy and his wife who were getting groceries as well. My brother caught on to the fact that they were using food stamps, something I've never actually seen but heard about. He and I got to discussing how blessed we both are with the circumstances that we live in. This led me to comment on one of the reasons I want to go to DC, so that I can be involved in things that help people. Now when I talk about that, I'm not talking inso much through government programs or throwing money at things, which Congress is "great" at, but motivating them to achieve. See, the government ends up "enslaving" people that it assists through welfare or giving them money or housing because they become dependent on it. They keep thinking that it will keep comming, and it does, so they become lazy, wanting to live off the system and not fend for themselves.
Now there are cases where people honestly do need the government's assitance, and that's fine, hence why the systems and programs exist. However, it's those that become lazy, those that become wefare "kings and queens" that concern me, because they believe that they can just keep having sex and popping out kids for more money. What kind of life is that for the kids that are born? It isn't! Combine a child's need for love in a family where he or she is one of many and doesn't get much love with what they are taught in school about their origins through liberal leaning teachers and a broken system (that needs to be fixed not abandoned - because most kids won't have another alternative) and what do you get - a generation of children who are lazy and unmotivated, because "if i'm an accident then what is my point, what is my purpose? I have none".
All of that starting with "government assistance" and compounded by other institutions that are overseen by the government. The key here is incentive and motivation. Welfare to work, pioneered by Michigan, is a great example. If someone needs government assistance, great, give to them - for a time - then move them to work, so they become a productive member of society, instead of just sucking off the system.
Some might ask how did we get here? I believe it's because of two things: the breakdown of the nuclear family and the faltering of the church. During my grandparents generation that changed. In generations before them, the family and the church are where people turned for assistance. This changed in the 30's as a result of the great depression and FDR's policies that got things running again for the country. Now I don't fault him, because these programs were meant to end once the country was back on stable footing, and no one can deny the properity of the 1950's that came after WWII. I think the fault lies with LBJ and his utopian dream of a "Great Society" where government has all these programs to make people dependent and lazy. This comes out of a generation during the 60's where society was delivering messages that complimented this idea of laziness through "drugs, sex, and rock and roll". The generation of the baby boomers latched on to this and it's continued to present day (save for Regan's attempts to halt spending where he could). This should have never happend, as the family and the church should have been able to step in and assist, but the socital barrage that has assulted both institutions in the last 40 years or so and weakened them in the eyes of a society that wants to be free of responsibility and "archaic institutions" that represent the idea of personal responsibility and accountability. So when these institutions are prime providers and are not wanted, all that is left is government assistance.
Where do we go from here? Positive (meaning accoutable and moral) forces in society need to assist in the rebulding of the church and the family as institutions and the mental image that many have of Christianity as a religion of judgementalism and gulit trips need to change. Only then will the reversion of what's happened be possible, and the governments strangle-hold on those that need help will begin to end.
posted by A. R. Welty at 12:06 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home