Did you ever wonder
if any DUI criminal set out to be arrested? Or do you suppose that he was merely
distracted by his drunkenness, one drink at a time? Our national debt has surpassed GDP. Do you think maybe we are simply drunk on
unions and entitlements? We certainly
seem distracted by the variety of trees that we are missing the forest. Perhaps it is time that we quit bellying up
to this bar.
Oh Sweet Jesus (hat
tip to Joe), another blown call by the referees in the Packers game. Apparently, the replacement referees didn’t
get the word that their services were no longer required. Where, oh where, are those union
referees? Wait a minute, the “good” ones
were on the field. Could you, would you,
possibly admit that it is a human game after all and union or not you can blow
it?
Now, with American
Airlines and its pilot union unable to reach agreement, we suddenly start to
have rows of seats becoming detached in flight.
Who continues to suffer for these clashes? Each of these various union crises serve as
mere drunken distractions, but maybe the referee thing was an isolated
incident. Admittedly professional
football referees would appear to be the lowest paid of officials at the respective
level of play of any sport. Maybe they
were overdue for a raise. But they
weren’t the only union recently lobbying for more. Let’s take a look at that crisis, narrowly
avoided by the mayor of Chicago.
So
in the aftermath, pun intended, of the Chicago’s Teacher Union strike, we
discover that Illinois can’t meet their states pension plans. When you factor in the state’s other
liabilities the total shortfall reaches a whopping $203 billion over the next
33 years. That is just the shortfall and
it amounts to $41,000 for every household in Illinois[1]. Not to worry the Governor has a plan.
It
might not have taken the Governor to develop a plan if the state legislature
had taken action. Their attempt at vote
buying, I mean, pension reform, wound up failing by nearly 85% of the vote[2]. No worries though, the Governor will make the
tough call. Yep! Wait for it…let the federal government pick
up our irresponsibility. We are too big
to fail! Right? Wrong!
You are just the right size to fail,
Likewise, California, who will soon be begging at the same door, is just
the right size to give back to Mexico.
So,
if the plan for the states is to continue to be irresponsible and then try to
play it off on the federal government with the now tried and true, “too big to
fail,” where does it end? What’s more,
the federal government is playing the same deferment game, because “red 13”
will pop on the next spin. Who are they
planning on pawning this off on? Well,
let’s just say I’m not sure we have enough rich people.
It
is high time we realize that tax dollars are not meant for philanthropy. That is not the role of government. Certainly, we are a nation with plenty and
from that it is each and everyone’s responsibility to give back. I’ve observed enough Facebook to suspect that
entitlements started with those that were too selfish to personally give, but
felt guilty when they said “no” to the local charity. Legislating charity and bank rolling it
through taxpayer money, however, will bankrupt the nation.
Our
government must be more responsible than its collective citizens, and it should
be our job, and the press, to ensure that is the case. Clearly, all have failed. There is the GSA scandal, the VA scandal, and
lest we forget, sweetheart deals for auto unions. The problem is that there are actual
consequences and the bill keeps getting larger.
Some argue that
it’s no “big f’ing deal”. Before you
snipe that no citizen would ever deliberately do anything detrimental to the
country, you should consider the lessons of 1918 Germany. The German Socialists were anxious to force
Germany into a disadvantageous position under the guise of peace and ending the
war. Unfortunately, the real motivation
was to secure power and that, in conjunction with an oppressive treaty,
virtually guaranteed that there would be another World War to follow.
Leadership and tough
decisions are required to right this vessel.
It will take leadership that can see the forest and navigate a path
through, not distracted by the various trees.
If you are a real believer that spending is the way, and debts are no
big deal then live it in your personal life.
Exceed your income in debt, max it out, then go for more. If on the other hand, it was just fun when it
was someone else’s money, then it is time to start being responsible, and
ultimately accountable, for your actions.
Next time someone asks who is looking out for the common man, you can
bet it is not the union or those officials that are beholden to it. Your next opportunity to be responsible is 6
November.
#cc
[1] Ted Dabrowski, Illinois Policy Institute, “Illinois
Pension Math”, http://illinoispolicy.org/blog/blog.asp?ArticleSource=4979, 1 Oct 2012.
No comments:
Post a Comment