If unions existed to actually do what they claim, it wouldn’t be so bad. But the fact of the matter is that, these days, they exist simply to extort and postpone the inevitable free market.
Scary thinking about wealth redistribution and removing self-reliance from the poor to make them dependent on the government (from March ’08)…
John Mistress-and-Love-Child-As-Cancer-Treatment-Comfort Edwards: “People want to know why I continue this campaign for president, why Elizabeth and myself are so committed to this cause, to this crusade. I’ll tell you why. Because I want everybody in this country to have the same chances that I’ve had. I came from a place of having nothing, to having everything. And in today’s America, it is so hard for people to work themselves up. People no longer believe that their children are going to have a better life than they’ve had.”
Sanity break: Uh, if he “want[s] everybody in this country to have the same chances that [he’s] had.” then his subsequent comment “I came from a place of having nothing, to having everything” doesn’t make the case. Did he have systematic hand-outs, socialist healthcare, and union bargaining when he was struggling through law school? Didn’t think so. Much as I think he’s an idiot and a hillbilly, Edwards coming from nothing and being filthy rich now very likely took some doing, and I’m surprised he doesn’t value or subscribe to the path of hard work and determination in crafting a person for success. I think it would be hard not to if you truly went from nothing to everything on your own sweat and hand-built resources. It seems to me that there can be only two reasons why a nothing-to-everything would want others to get a government instituted shortcut (and handouts in the mean time, even if you never get off your tail and take the shortcut).
- Now that they have money, they want more power than just money can give. They want political power over people. And rounding up the poor and middle class by pandering to their fears and anxieties, even though it contradicts the politician’s own experience, is easier (over the heads of the poor they think) and more vote-lucrative than collecting a handful of the rich. Yes, I’m saying Edwards doesn’t give a rat’s tail about the poor. He cares about money, power, tacky houses, and tail on the side, NOT the poor.
- Second, perhaps they actually didn’t succeed by their own sweat and effort, but were given a significant shortcut themselves in one way or another. Self-loathing is a very rampant condition among the undeservedly rich (just look at Hollywood), particularly liberal rich.
If he succeeded so much from ambulance-chasing to have a mansion where 14 families could live, I’m not sure where he gets the stones to preach to others about giving to the poor.
For the sake of a rounded argument… here are my reasons not to give shortcuts to the poor…
- Andrew Carnegie (read post here)
- I shouldn’t live on another man’s work, if I’m able to do my own. This creates self-reliance and self-respect. Give a man a fish, feed him for a day, teach a man to fish feed him for a lifetime, etc.
- The joke that is government bureaucracy shouldn’t be the one transacting/handling the sharing.
- And last, but certainly above all, is the self-respect one earns from doing it themselves. Give a child a fragile toy and it will be broken in minutes. Make the child earn the toy or help pay for it, and it will last. Simple concept, but Obama is clueless about even these basic principles.
Now the scariest, transparent, and most flatly dishonest lie I’ve heard Obama spew to date…
Barack Hussein Obama: “We are at a crossroads in this country. We are facing some challenges as great as any generation has faced. And we have some fundamental decisions to make about the kind of America that we’re going to build for, not just us, but for our children and for our grandchildren. The notion that we have no responsibilities towards each other, they call it the ownership society in Washington. But in our past there’s been another name for it, it’s been called social Darwinism; every man and woman for him or herself. And it allows us to say that, you know what, if your health care or your tuition rises faster than your wages life isn’t fair. It’s a bracing idea, it’s a tempting idea, it’s the easiest idea in the world to say that we’re all on our own. But here’s the problem, it doesn’t work. It defies our history. It ignores the fact that it has always been government research and investment that’s made advances possible in this country from the railway to the internet. It’s been the creation of a massive middle class through decent wages and benefits, and good public schools that’s allowed us to prosper. It’s been the ability of working men and women to join together in unions that’s allowed our rising tide to lift every single boat.”
You are a very scary human Obama… totally clueless and very very dangerous. We’re sorry for your messed -up childhood and your lack of any sort of identity, but trying to persuade the country toward an irresponsible end is reprehensible…
He says “It’s the easiest idea in the world to say that we’re all on our own. But here’s the problem, it doesn’t work.” Let me take that in two parts…
1. “It’s easy.” Really!? What’s easy is to rob from the upper-middle class and give to the poor and take credit for it in the form of political power. Just a little clue on the taxation in this great land for Obama’s audience who might read this pulled together by Glenn Beck’s researchers…
According to the Tax Foundation, the top 1% of wage-earners in this country pays nearly 40% of the burden (an 11% INCREASE over 1999, when WHO was President? Oh that’s right…Bill Clinton). Not fair? Well, you may be saying, ‘that’s because they have ALL the wealth!’ Wrong again. The top 1% of earners account for just 21% of the total adjusted gross income. Hmm. Come to think of it…you’re RIGHT! That really isn’t fair. They’re paying DOUBLE what they should be. By the way, the top 10% of earners pay 70% of the load. When you get all the way down to the top 50% of earners, they account for 96.4% of the entire tax burden. The next 10% pays 3.6%. And the bottom 40% of wage earners…pay NOTHING. That’s right, nothing. In fact, they pay nothing, and then often get a “refund” (handout) at years end.
2. It doesn’t work.” Regardless of what distorted ideas free-loving mommy and green-card-seeking free-education aspiring daddy instilled, it doesn’t make it true. The free market is what works. Socialism does not, and can not, without a unification of religion. Even then the people must be extraordinarily interdependent and mature. They ALL must be interdependent and mature or it doesn’t work. We’re so far from that (particularly most of the people currently on welfare) that I’d consider it impossible until the Savior returns to round up and take names. Should we try to recreate the Soviet Union in the mean time, thinking maybe it’ll work this time? Let’s not. I guess you were asleep in your Ivy League classes (or simply spoon-fed by radical liberal professors while you were there) but hand-outs create an entitlement society, not accountability. These principles are so basic I can’t seem to wrap my head around how unbelievably ignorant someone would have to be to not understand them. I feel sorry for Obama. He’s truly blind and in the wilderness. Hillary and Edwards are just political opportunists who polarize for power. They manipulate intentionally. I think Obama genuinely thinks he’s right about these things and that makes him most oblivious and dangerous, because his sincere stupidity is going to persuade some of those who don’t think for themselves.
Lots of good and appropriate thoughts.
Lowering or removing taxes on the poor, raising minimum wage, forming unions, providing welfare and free healthcare. What is enough or does enough exist? Working people who support themselves and their families would like to make more money. Most everyone wants to make more money to buy more stuff and better stuff. The poor are no different. Whatever handouts they get isn’t enough and never will be. People are insatiable. One way or another people find more. The tragedy is when people resort to dishonest means, such as, stealing or asking for handouts. Either way, your telling yourself and everyone else that you can’t or won’t do it the “old fashioned” way. By the sweat of thy brow.
What is the least the government should do? I don’t know the answer. I don’t think they should do nothing, but I also don’t think they should expect or require so little of people. Why do liberals think so lowly of the human race? Why do they think that they are here to solve everyone’s problems and make everything fair and right? As if, in their arrogance, they even know what is fair and right. Do they want the poor to have no self respect or to not find heir own way in this world? It is difficult, but so rewarding to struggle and then to rise above. Liberals may want people to rise above, they just don’t want people to earn it or to learn and grow from it. They are pushers and enablers of wasted human potential. They have to have their fingers in everything. Elitist Liberals think they are leading the country to the promised land and their trying to cram the lesser law down our throats. Don’t turn right, turn left. Don’t look up, look down. Don’t say that, say this. Don’t think that, think this. If you put your foot wrong you won’t be executed, but you will get life in prison.
I pay taxes. I want to pay my taxes. I use public roads. I benefit from laws that protect me. I benefit from the military that fights for my freedoms. I benefit from other public servants and services. (Though I do take issue on how most of my taxes are being spent.) I live my life in this country, and this world, and know that I contribute. I don’t want to be a burden to others. I don’t believe that anyone should be or needs to be. I don’t believe that being a burden is just someone’s lot in life. Physically and mentally disabled people work. Everyone can contribute. Everyone has potential. Liberals need to stop giving people so many reasons to trade in their self-respect for lowered expectations. Imagine a world where everyone had a reason to get up in the morning, where everyone wanted to do their part. Where occasional assistance is freely give to those who truly need it in difficult times. Where we all thrived on our potential and that of others.
Most of Europe practices socialist human husbandry and the only products that have come from it are high unemployment, financial woes, and loss of respect. Provide for everyone and people stop providing for themselves. That was a difficult one to predict.