Replied by LongBranchMk12 on topic ive been thinking......
Two of my favorite quotes - the first one really goes with siscowets point. To get the free stuff you have to give up a certain amount of freedom & power. This really sounds like our present political situation...
“Absolute governments (tho' the disgrace of human nature) have this advantage with them, that they are simple; if the people suffer, they know the head from which their suffering springs, know likewise the remedy, and are not bewildered by a variety of causes and cures. But the constitution of England is so exceedingly complex, that the nation may suffer for years together without being able to discover in which part the fault lies; some will say in one and some in another, and every political physician will advise a different medicine.”
Thomas Paine - Common Sense
Entitlements are really just a way for the government to concentrate power and keep people from progressing in society. Don't get me wrong some temporary assistance is a good fall back plan if you have a run of bad luck. Temporary is the key word in that statement though.
"The history of liberty is a history of limitations of governmental power, not the increase of it. When we resist, therefore, the concentration of power,we are resisting the powers of death, because concentration of powers is what always precedes the destruction of human liberties. "
Woodrow Wilson
The following user(s) said Thank You: jtallen83, magi
Replied by Siscowet on topic ive been thinking......
You make some really good points. Part of the problem with any department of government, whether it be HEW, Defense, or any other, is that when you establish the bureaucracy, you establish an entity who's first goal is it's own survival. This is true in any government(ask the Soviets!) and it works to propagate itself and to expand it's influence. And then they have their own customer base. In defense, its the military industrial complex, in HEW its the recipients of welfare, educational grants, and health care companies to name a few. These customers become powerful lobbying forces on behalf of the various government departments and it becomes almost impossible to rein them in. Hence more free stuff, more expenditures in all areas to keep every body happy, etc.. Stopping it is like King Canute trying to turn back the sea. Getting it turned around is going to take the committment of generations. Government needs to be lean and unobtrusive, and to have a simple clear cut mission. Part of the problem now is our Governments mission is too big. It cannot do it all with what we are willing to pay for taxes. Any safety nets need to be basic, and to come with clear cut parameters and timeline. Sometimes people need them, so they are important. There are people who have used them to get back on their feet. The problem is when it becomes a lifestyle. I am reading more and more that our current stagnant economy is going to become the future norm. That said, our government needs to restructure to accomodate that reduction in revenue. I am sad that as a retiree I am leaving this battle for my sons generation, but that is the way it is, I guess.
Replied by jtallen83 on topic ive been thinking......
I find this quote very ironic, Woodrow was a founding father of this dependency/big government system we have today, not to mention a racist. He re-segregated the federal governments work force in order to gain the support of the Klan.........today's history seems to whitewash his transgressions.
Replied by LongBranchMk12 on topic ive been thinking......
I know very little about Woodrow Wilson and he presidency. That was before my time and he is one I haven't really really researched. I like the quote though.
Replied by jtallen83 on topic ive been thinking......
I've spent more time than I care to admit learning about the early progressive movement. You surprised me on that quote, he sure enough said it and it is a great quote for liberty, I guess even a blind squirrel finds the occasional acorn and calling Woodrow a blind squirrel is being kind in my book.
I'm going to jot it down, proof that LIBERTY has no boundary in logic.
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