Posted on 01/10/2005 11:57:31 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Bring on the hate mail. I know I'll be receiving plenty of it from the people who don't want to hear what I'm going to say. To begin with, I'm tired of the hard working people in the United States playing Atlas to those who don't plan beyond the moment or to those who believe that the rest of the world exists to bail them out when they encounter disaster.
Government spending of citizens' hard earned tax dollars to bail out every victim of disaster, poor business practice, or persons lacking in motive to overcome adversity has led to a greatly expanded welfare state and unnecessary regulation of private industry predicated on the idea that the government knows the best way to spend our money and that we exist to take care of those "deemed" unable to meet the demands of society as we know it.
Communism, which forces individuals to sacrifice their own interests for the good of the state, was allegedly defeated at the close of the Cold War. Yet our personal and intellectual freedoms are still under attack by many who play on the collective guilt of those who have achieved wealth through hard work and enterprise; suggesting that they be required to contribute a greater share of their hard earned dollars to take care of those who are not doing as well -without any expectation of return on their money.
It has just come to my attention that Kerry Sieh, a professor of geology at California Institute of Technology, "repeatedly warned Indonesian officials that an earthquake and tsunami would soon strike their shores." Because these officials weren't acting on the warnings, he and his teams began warning people directly. Unfortunately, he couldn't reach all of the people in time.
Now I have complete and utter sympathy for the people who have suffered and lost loved ones due to this tragedy, but I also feel resentment that because their government didn't heed the warnings that other countries have to bail them out.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg. On any given day, you can be sure that people are rebuilding their homes in areas of known mud slides, hurricane force winds, and tornado alleys. People are eating fast foods, not taking care of their bodies, and driving cars irresponsibly. While it is no concern of mine that anyone should want to do such things, it becomes my burden when the government pays the disaster relief or Medicaid costs of those who choose to put themselves in harms way or allows exorbitant punitive damages to be awarded, raising everyone's insurance rates.
We should not bail out individuals who do not use "common sense" or corporations like Chrysler, who does not practice fiscal responsibility. Who can say what might've happened to GM and Ford had we let events unfold as a true capitalist society mandates. We should not regulate some areas but leave others up to chance. The government should not involve itself in areas of private industry - period.
In a true free market, the cream rises to the top. Others will adjust to succeed. Those willing to work will survive one way or another. Those truly unable will be the beneficiaries of the generosity of a people driven to success.
We are not a welfare state. We are a free country and freedom means that you can build your house on a cliff or on the shore or even next to power lines. But with that freedom comes responsibility -for your self. Buy more insurance, find storage for your valuables on safer ground, but don't expect me to pay for your lack of concern or foresight. If I choose to contribute a sum of money to a charity on your behalf, that is up to me. Not up to the government.
Should a person be made to feel guilty for living like the Ant instead of running around like the Grasshopper, who in the original fable dies because he does not live in a collectivist society which exists to take care of him no matter what? The moral of that fable is lost when those sworn to uphold the Constitution no longer believe it protects a person's individual right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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Nancy Salvato is the Director of Online Communications at Americans for Limited Government. She is an experienced educator and an independent contractor with Prism Educational Consulting. She serves as Educational Liaison for Illinois' 23rd Senatorial District. She works nationally and locally furthering the cause of Civic Education. Her writing is widely published on the internet and occasionally in print venues such as the Washington Times. Her opinions have been heard on select radio programs across the nation. Additionally, her writing has been recognized by the US Secretary of Education.
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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.
Furthermore, it is not the business of our military to provide aid and comfort to tsunami victims (or spread democracy in the Middle East, for that matter). Let's bring our soldiers back home and put them back to work defending our country. Bring on the flames!
When it comes to taxpayer money, sometimes, it's just not ours to give...
isolationist?
How about spreading democracy? Is that the military's job?
I agree with the first part but disagree with the second part.
Specifically I think that at the very least it's excellent practical experience for our military folks to aid in situations like this.
You can train all you want but nothing trumps real life experience.
California, Florida and Oklahoma?
No.
Not at all.
Now that they have their hands out in Indonesia are they still chanting 'Death to America' as they were in Jakarta after 9/11?
So you would rather fight them here? Not too damn smart if you ask me.
Charity Begin Abroad Every day, in every way, The Diplomad gets better and better. Could it be that it employs a very simple technique? The truth. In Jakarta, aside from flags at half-staff, we have seen no signs of mourning for the victims: while employees and dependents of the American embassy spent their holiday loading trucks and putting together medicine kits, the city's inhabitants went ahead with New Year's parties; nightclubs and shopping centers are full; and regular television programming continues. At least 120,000 of their fellow countrymen are dead, and Indonesians hardly talk about it, much less engage in massive charitable efforts. The exceptionally wealthy businessmen of the capital -- and the country boasts several billionaires -- haven't made large donations to the cause of Sumatran relief; a few scattered NGOs have done a bit, but there are no well-organized drives to raise funds and supplies. We have seen nothing akin to what happened in the USA following the 9/11 atrocity, or the hurricanes in Florida of this past year.
The Sri Lankan's words echo in my mind every day, ""Why do we want to bother with this? We all know you Americans will do everything." With the exception of handful of Western countries, most of the world would appear inhabited by the sort of Eloi-type creatures depicted in that old sci-fi flick based on H.G. Wells' The Time Machine, passively watching as flood waters or Morlocks drag their fellows away.
Begging the pardon of the cultural relativists, but might we not be allowed to raise -- ever so gently, of course -- the possibility that these differing reactions to human suffering, show Western civilization as the best we have on the planet? Maybe, just maybe Western civilization is morally superior.
Off the deep end.
Fighting them over there is not going to stop the ones already over here if they are determined to do something. Besides, we weren't fighting terrorists in Iraq until after we invaded Iraq. Next argument...
Well we are sending a message. We will not be a Paper Tiger.
AFGHANISTAN... Can you say that?
Now Iraq.
Then Iran.
Then Syria.
Then imprison some terrorist plotting thugs here in the U.S.
Then eventually North Korea for fun.
As far as I'm concerned, Western Society, with its relative freedom and comforts, is far superior to 7th-Century-style Islamist culture...
Mohammed Atta. Your turn.
Are you for a draft to ensure that you get all the Centurions you need for that tall order?
Clever. Invoke 9-11. That's not why we went to Iraq. We went due to fear of WMD, which proved to be mostly non-existent. Then it was said we're spreading democracy. An admirable goal, but it renders us less able to face real threats, such as China.
Can we agree on one thing? If we really went into Iraq just to spread democracy, can we agree to fire the neocons whose wet dream that is?
No drafted needed.
The US and Israel will nuke Iran.
The US alone will scatter many bombs across Syria.
And well concerning North Korea; the US and Japan combined should Nuke them at any moment just posturing and scarying me during the '90s.
I guess your post was your own w*t dream.
It hasn't taken off the ground. Post smaller ideas.
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