Along Came Government

Sometimes it is worthwhile to step away from your long-time circle of friends and allow a totally new group to enter your world, if only for a temporary duration. I recently did this very thing and what I learned was both fascinating and troubling.

 I’m 67 and I grew up and was raised (reared) by parents that never once accepted any government assistance, such as unemployment compensation, although there were times when they were qualified to receive it. It was a matter of personal pride and the fact that a certain stigma was associated with those who accepted such assistance. Maybe it was the feeling of being poor, or the stubbornness of one’s character that stood between accepting, or refusing, government assistance. Somewhere along the way the passing of years has witnessed a stark change in the mentality about accepting, or refusing, government assistance.

My new group of friends is about 45 years my junior and are they ever different in so many ways, yet alike in a few others. Firstly, they willingly accept any and all government assistance with no reservations. Secondly, they are well versed in how these programs operate and they know intricate details of what to do, or not do, to be able to qualify for this assistance. As an example, three guys in this group have recently gotten their girlfriends pregnant and the girls, more so than the guys, knew exactly what to do and when to do it so they could receive government benefits, which include payment for all medical expenses associated with prenatal care and delivery of the baby. They also know if they get married before the baby is born, they won’t qualify for some of these benefits. They know if they marry the father after the baby is born, they won’t qualify for additional benefits for themselves and the baby. How do these girls know, or learn, all of this information? Most of them learn it from their mothers, who previously traveled the same path and received similar, if not identical, government sponsored benefits funded by those of us who work and earn our own living every step of the way during our life’s journey.

This newly learned information disturbs me for several reasons. I learned that this trend has existed for at least two generations, if not longer, and will probably continue to get passed down to future generations with no hope that our government will cease supporting a lifestyle that has been encouraged since the early 1960’s when money was taken from Social Security funds to pay for these programs born during the Democrats LBJ Administration.

Then in 2008 along comes the mystery man with a non-American name and not nearly enough documentation of his life, or even his birth, who promises change you can believe in, which for the most part will be paid for by the government taking money from those who work and giving it to those who don’t work. This has been called “redistribution of America’s wealth” by the mystery man who sometimes resides in the White House. Does anyone smell the roses yet? Hey, I doubt if those roses will be smelled for years to come.

If you think putting Republicans in the White House and Congress will solve our problems, you had best think again. In their infinite wisdom they want to reduce Social Security and Medicare!! Hey, I’m 67 and I worked 38 years while paying for my future Social Security with approximately 6% of every payroll check I received for 1,976 weeks (38 years). Don’t touch my Social Security, especially while asking at least once per week, for political contributions through phone calls and the U.S. Postal Service, which has operated in the red for decades.

Is anyone else angry, or is it just me?