More On Personal Responsibility
July 20th, 2006 . by CaryMary had this link to an interesting article regarding the de-socialization of the United States.
The author, Vedran Vuk, has some very salient points about the state of the personal union. We, as a people, have come to accept certain government programs, and have even planned our old age around them – Social Security, Medicare, etc. – when it really comes down to taking care of our own.
Back in the day, when the family unit was more often than not located on a family farm or ranch, this made sense. Multiple generations of families living in the same household would work together and help one another – the larger the family, the fewer hired hands needed. My own family grew on the family dairy farm at Black River Falls, Wisconsin, and up until my father’s generation the family was pretty much located in Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Since then, there has been an explosion of migration all over the country – I have cousins from California to Maine, from Washington to Florida.
But have we lost the connectedness that being a close family brings? I believe so – some of you may still have close relationships with all of your siblings – I have spoken only to my older brother lately; with the exception of our cousin in Colorado no one else in my family knows that we are expecting a child in December. My mother doesn’t even know, and she isn’t returning my phone calls again. (that’s another post, and quite the soap opera, if you ask me)
Anyway – I know my family is not unique, but I also know that there are still families out there who are still close.
Back to the point – could some of these programs be dismantled? We hear about the privatization of Social Security – what about the ultimate in privatization, and return all of the money to the wage earners? Then, let them make their decision on what they want to invest in. Yes, there are some people who would have one heck of a blow-out, but then sobriety should bring them back to the sense that they just partied away their retirement fund. Along with the removal of Social Security, perhaps it would be time to look at a national sales tax again – removing the income tax and only taxing what you actually buy, instead of what you earn. This has been called a “Fair Tax” and there are much more informed people out there to discuss it with than me; don’t even get me started.
Vedran Vuk makes another good point – the mindset of those on welfare is such that if you can count on someone else to bail you out all the time, why worry? This is “letting” people shirk their child-rearing duties, especially where that pesky “Personal Responsibility” thing comes in. I cannot fathom the thought process that says you should set your children up for failure. Isn’t that worse than child abuse? My gosh, how can you look at your “adult” children in jail and know that you allowed them to get there, and then blame anyone or anything other than yourself for not giving them the decision making skills and work ethic they needed to lift themselves up?
Tell you what – you all just think about this one for a while. Let’s meet back here later and talk about it.
I’d like to see Social Security phased out – not instantly cut, because I believe we have contractual obligations to those who have paid in – but phased out.
Phasing it out would make sense – that way, there could be a cut off date when you no longer paid in, but the ones who have paid in don’t lose the benefits and also don’t get a big chunk of money thrown at them. That would work.
Since it makes sense, it will never be implemented.
Luckily, I’m still close to my family, although I only have the one sibling, Sues.
I agree that far too many “parents” completely abandon their duties. There are countless others that raised their children in complete poverty, and those children went on to be successful members of their communities. Those that fail to instill the necessary values in their children have no business being parents in the first place.
Well said, John, and exactly my point when it comes to raising a child.
I believe it was bushwack that had a top ten list on his site a few days ago that listed liberal fallacies – and “It Takes A Village” made the list.
Cary,
I share your sentiments. Too many people are always looking for what others can do for them.
Unless this changes, we will continue to see our society – as we know it – decay.
Ted, all we can do is hope we can make enough people aware of the dangers of conintuing on this path. Then, maybe we can start changing the course.
I would love to see us take more responsibility in the way we raise our children, too. We teach them that if they don’t want to work, let the Gov’t pay their bills. Then, later if life, if they don’t want to care for their parents, they can put them in the nursing home. We aren’t teaching them to care for others. It’s always someone else’s job. Thanks for posting this Cary!!
And it is not someone else’s job, it’s our own job. This country has a long climb ahead of it, but we can do it. I have faith and confidence in the American People.
Aaaah, Traditionalism ( a lost ideology )…I will be a traditionalist until the day I die. That was what kept families together. Not much left of it in the post ‘Baby Boomer’ era. Very sad, but at least My kids
understand what it was all about and will believe in it too when they grow up. That would make me very proud. Eating dinner at the dinner table, going to church, picnics and family vacations/outings ,etc.etc.
Socialism has destroyed traditionalism.
Wonder why the left hates conservatism so much when the party of morals represents true America? Liberalism is the worst thing that has ever happened to this country.
Man, I totally forgot to mention family traditions. We used to go on Sunday Afternoon drives. Way cool. All nine of us in the staion wagon, cruising backroads, stopping to pick apples or corn or asparagus or strawberries or blackberries, going home and canning or freezing or preserving as the case may be…
I miss my dad.
I hear you loud and clear…Semper Fi bro! And God Bless ya.