The Entitlement Bandwagon

OK I confess; I listen to Rush Limbaugh from time to time. The other day the subject was "redistribution of income". And of course this is a pillar in the divide between Democrats and Republicans - if you are obtaining wealth why shouldn't you give some of it back to those less fortunate? And who can argue with that.

But there is a difference between charity to help your fellow human being get through a tough period, or to recover from a disaster, and giving them an on-going "entitlement". It is an indisputable fact that Americans are the most charitable people in the world. But why are any of us, even if we are poor, "entitled" to share in the success of people who by virtue of hard work (and sometimes luck) have obtained a certain amount of wealth. Doesn't the tax system take care of that? Last year almost 50% of Americans paid no federal income tax, while the top earners paid 36% of their income to the federal government - isn't that redistribution of income - after all someone has to pay for our bloated government services.

But for Democrats (and now they call themselves Progressives?), that is not enough.

On this Rush Limbaugh program, a woman called in and she said it was her "right" to receive a portion of the income that "rich" people get; "I live in the hood, and we need to be taken care of". That is a serious problem in this country - "entitlement" vs. short term help when people really need it. We all face obstacles in our lives, and quite often need help until we get our feet on the ground; that is not an entitlement.

But the entitlement mentality has become a disease in this country. No longer do people look for help to get through a tough period - for some it has become a way of life and in many cases for generations.

I believe every human being starts out in life with a desire to "achieve"...it's human nature. That desire to achieve may take many forms - provide a good home for your family, or a successful career, or in some cases driving ambition to achieve great things. The goal doesn't matter, but the desire to achieve is something that is natural to all of us.

But provide a person "something for nothing" for any length of time and that desire to achieve slowly dies out and they become a "dependent". Some believe the Democrats/Progressives want a dependent society as the only way they can retain power. I can't believe they would be so sinister, but one thing is indisputable, after spending trillions of dollars, the "Great Society" and every other entitlement program in history has failed. The poverty level is the same today as it was 50 years ago and some people are mired in a lifetime of despair and dependency.

I really believe that woman who called Rush had been a potential "achiever" at one time if she had the incentive to do so, but because of a lifetime and maybe even a generational history of entitlements, she now just wants to be "taken care of"...how sad.