the bleak landscape ahead
Here's a damn bleak landscape. Somehow, we have to wrap our brains around the idea that there will be innocent victims in any solution to the country's problems - innocent in that they did not themselves take actions which continued, supported, or expected the entitlement system. That includes kids up to about 8 or 9 or 10, I think - maybe older. But unless we are content to continue to be reviled, used, abused and forced to support the system in that we have something for the moochers to take, we must also be aware that some of those who "lose" in any solution I can think of, will be innocent. At some point, they become guilty, of course, even with thinking or wondering about their situation. But there will always be some innocents.
We cannot really even save some, unless we are willing to support, teach, "re-program" and encourage the children who did not get any of what they should have gotten from their parents. and then what happens to those who could be strong backs to help with the work and maybe, MAYBE have a willingness to learn? What's the "dividing age"? and just exactly do we do?
But really, it IS an us or them situation - and, once they have destroyed us, they will destroy themselves anyway because there is nothing more to loot AND no knowledge to keep them going. So really, the question is not us or them, it is now or later.
Please, somebody, tell me I'm wrong.
We cannot really even save some, unless we are willing to support, teach, "re-program" and encourage the children who did not get any of what they should have gotten from their parents. and then what happens to those who could be strong backs to help with the work and maybe, MAYBE have a willingness to learn? What's the "dividing age"? and just exactly do we do?
But really, it IS an us or them situation - and, once they have destroyed us, they will destroy themselves anyway because there is nothing more to loot AND no knowledge to keep them going. So really, the question is not us or them, it is now or later.
Please, somebody, tell me I'm wrong.
Consider our nation's wealth to be a pizza. We have sliced the pizza so much to give some to every one, that it is now pizza soup. Yet people demand more! I know! Let's put the pizza in a bigger box! And therein lies the rub. If you think about it, the analogy holds true from the global economy right down to the personal. We can't do much, individually, about Greece and the IMF. We can, however, get our own personal houses in order and if enough of us do, it will percolate upwards. The people of Greece have said so with their 'no' vote. (Whether or not they follow through is another question.). In any even, we must make a start and today is as good a day as any to make that start.
I say the problems are bad, but not nearly so as in other times and places. Despite the problems, US is still a land of amazing opportunity, liberty, and prosperity.
I don't think the problems have large swaths of moocher villains. We have a system where it's easier to lobby for a piece of the government pie then it is to get the size of the pie reduced. If having at least one client who benefits from government largesse makes us moochers, than most of us are moochers. Many of us also send tens of thousands of dollars in estimated taxes each quarter, so maybe we're producers.
Working out who's the good guys is pointless. All that matters is reducing the size and intrusiveness of government.