Number of lazy Americans almost doubles since 1950
John Stossel’s The Public Trough Is Bigger Than Ever should serve as a warning to us all; but it won’t. Noting that 52.6% of Americans feed “substantially at the public trough,” one wonders how much longer this situation can continue. In 1950, “only” 28% of Americans lived off their fellow human beings labor.
Government grew under Clinton, has grown under Bush, and will grow under whoever is Bush’s successor. That’s what government does- grow. And since it produces nothing of its own to meet promises it makes that it has no authority in the Constitution to make, it takes its citizen’s money to fuel this growth. The question is, as put by Stossel, “productive Americans have forged ahead despite a constellation of transfer programs, but how long will they continue to do so?”
How long indeed? As Stossel points out, despite Europe’s stagnant economies, high unemployment, and government promises that exceed their ability to meet those promises we’ve still got mindless supports of big government. These people simply refuse to understand that those who can work but do not should be allowed to starve.
I used to dread the day that I know is coming- when Social Security collapses and Medicare becomes a thing of the past - as our government promises more to than it is able to take from its citizens. A lot of people will suffer. They will loose their homes. They will starve. They will wonder why this is happening to them. It will be a tragedy.
But the real tragedy will be their own failure to have depended upon themselves and planned ahead. It will still be sad, despite the fact that it is their fault. But as sad as that day will be I no longer dread it. In fact, I’m looking forward to it. Not for the suffering- which will truly be lamentable and heartbreaking – but for the moment that Americans learn that liberal fantasies of a utopia are no match for the realities of hard work and individual responsibility. It will be the final, and ultimate, repudiation of all the liberal fallacies inflicted upon us by a gigantic government.
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