Stop Pulling the Wagon

My mother-in-law gave me the above ticket telling me that my father-in-law had carried it in his wallet for many years. 

In my mind it takes me back 40+ years in time to the mid/late 1960’s during the Presidency of Lyndon Johnson.  I was a young man, filled with idealism,  and his promise of a “Great Society” and a “War on Poverty” seemed like a good idea.  

The intended consequence of the Great Society was to  eliminate “Social Injustice” and “Poverty”  permanently.  I envisioned an America where there would never again be “Poor” people. 

In the four decades since that time our nation has “invested” (spent) Trillions of (taxpayer) Dollars on this plan. 

Have we eliminated Social Injustice or Poverty?  Or, has the unintended consequence been to  create a Welfare State which has become a tool to destroy many American families?  Have we not created an opportunity for millions to behave irresponsibly without personal accountability while taxpayers pick up “the tab”?

 Have we learned anything from the Great Society!  Or, have we, as a people, sold our Freedom and become slaves to the empty promise that “Big Government” will take care of us?

I don’t often quote the Bible on this site but I’m going to make an exception here because what it says applies so appropriately to this subject.  In 2 Timonthy 4:3 (NIV) the Apostle Paul says: For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  

Substitute the words “sound doctrine” with the word “truth” and the word  “teachers” with the word “politicians” and read it again. 

If you do not like quotes from the Bible how about this slogan I had on a favorite tee-shirt many years ago.  “I HAVE GIVEN UP MY QUEST FOR REALITY AND AM NOW SEEKING A GOOD FANTASY”

My fear is that we may have reached, or are perilously close to, the time that one of our Nations Founders predicted.  That Democracy would only last until the people figured out they could vote themselves largess from the public treasury. (not an exact quote but close)  Are we there yet?   

Bob Bandy

Watching episodes of Jay Leno’s  “Jaywalking” , “Battle of the Jaywalk” etc. ( check it out on Youtube)  is very entertaining and funny.  Many of  those interviewed and questioned are clearly well educated people.   A substantial number saying they were college students/graduates, teachers, managers etc..  Many of the answers given were amazing.

When asked where the Cold War was fought, one of Jay’s questionee’s figured it had to have been fought in Antartica because its cold there.  I guess we defeated the Antarticans?

Now I don’t claim to be the brightest person around.  Just sort of an average guy.   But I am real sure of three things:

• The Cold War was not fought in Antartica.
• You don’t give the keys to your new car and a bottle of whiskey to a teenager.
• You can’t spend your way to prosperity with a credit card.

But I would be willing to bet  that if we presented the above as questions to those in charge of our government (Federal and State) they would probably not score more than 33% on the test.

California is getting ready to release thousands of felons because of budget cuts and some Federal Judge who decided that they are overcrowded and not getting all the health care and other things they are entitled to.  (They receive better health care now than probably 90% of the rest of us.)

Maybe we should send these released felons to serve in Congress.  I’m thinking they would likely steal less and waste less money than the group that is in there now.      

Bob Bandy