He's At It Again

My daughter helps keep me grounded when I go off on one of my "what's happening to our country" rants, so she'll probably roll her eyes when she reads this post. I feel like America is being hijacked by a small group of people who are trying to pervert the values that made this country great, things like initiative, hard work, and self-reliance. They want us to rely on the government to meet all our needs through "income redistribution". Translation: take even more of my hard-earned money and give it to able-bodied people who sit at home doing nothing.

I'm not talking about lending a helping hand to people truly in need: America has always been generous in this regard. I'm talking about giving more of my money to people who are too stupid or too lazy to get a job and earn a living. There's nothing wrong with them that can't be fixed, they just choose not to take the trouble. Why should they when all they have to do is sit home and wait for their welfare check courtesy of workers like me. When Rudy Giuliani was mayor of New York, he enacted "workfare"; people receiving welfare checks had to do something like clean up city highways to continue to receive benefits. Oh the hue and cry: "There is no dignity in this work" the freeloaders moaned. Yeah right, but there is dignity in taking someone else's money for doing absolutely nothing. Please.

Here's another joke: my tax dollars go to pay for education and health care for illegal aliens. These folks not only sneak into our country and break our laws, but have the gall to DEMAND rights and protections previously reserved for our own citizens. America always welcomed immigrants who came into the country legally. They kissed the ground when they were allowed in, and demanded nothing except the right to work hard, pay their taxes and become citizens. Many illegals have no interest in this country except to get free education, free health care, and earn money off the books (no taxes) that they then ship back to their home country so that some day they can go back there and live the good life. Are our gutless politicians trying to stop this insanity? No, they're passing laws to make it easier for illegals to stay here and steal our money.

On September 11, 2001 the twin towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed by Islamic terrorists and nearly 3,000 Americans were killed. It seems that our ridiculously lax immigration laws allowed these fanatics from countries who hate us and our way of life to freely enter the United States and go about their deadly business unhindered. This unbelievable atrocity led to the development of the Department of Homeland Security. When scrutiny of people entering the United States was heightened, Arab-American groups complained about being singled out for investigation. We immediately caved. Here's what I would have told them: "Terrorists from your countries, who look and sound like YOU, just killed 5,000 of our innocent citizens. Who am I supposed to look more closely at, Norwegians! I'm sorry if you can't tolerate a few extra questions. If you don't like it, stay home." When did someone's hurt feelings take precedence over the security of our country?

As long as I'm on a roll....there was a time in this country's history that workers were abused by management. Horrible work conditions led (rightly so) to the formation of unions to help protect worker rights. Many unions have outlived their usefulness and are now havens for people who want to do as little as possible and receive the same wage as those who work. Benefits have become an anchor around the necks of American companies, and made it virtually impossible for these companies to compete in the world marketplace. If you don't think this is so, you have only to look at the American auto industry. The price of the inferior cars they make is greatly inflated by bloated health care and pension benefits. MTA union workers in New York City have raised rudeness and laziness to new heights, but when times get tough do they economize? No, they raise the Verrazano Bridge toll to $13.00.

I saved the best for last. Americans used to save up for what they wanted. If you couldn't afford it, you didn't get it, period. To buy a house was not easy; you needed a substantial down-payment and had to pass a real background check to get approved. Banks guarded their investor's money jealously. Last year the world was plunged into what has become arguably the worst economic meltdown in our country's history. What caused it you ask? Wildly unrestrained credit spending, especially in the housing market, coupled with a massive failure of the regulatory system that we felt so sure would protect us. The American values of thrift and living within one's means went out with 8-track tapes.

This is not about Democrat vs. Republican, nor about race, religion or place of origin. I am not some flag waving, gun toting nut screaming: "My country right or wrong." It's just that I will never understand why hard working people are expected to pick up the tab for those who refuse to work, who are here illegally, who max out credit cards like it was a Parker Brothers board game or whose union memberships have become a license to steal. I'm more than willing to pay my fair share of taxes for legitimate purposes, but seeing my income "redistributed" to pay for the lazy, the greedy and the lawbreaker is contrary to the values on which this country was built. I'm also tired of apologizing to people for "profiling" them while trying to protect our borders and our citizens. We need to stand up for what we believe.

Change is inevitable, but the fundamental values that made this country great cannot be tossed aside like last year's reality TV show. (OK dear, I'll take my medication from now on.)


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