The Great Society – Revisited
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
