The Yoke of Entitlement

Since the terrible tragedy of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, our American media has universally taken note of a strange phenomenon being displayed by the Japanese people…civility. Mainstream media outlets both left and right have commented on the amazing calm, resolute demeanor displayed by victims as they wait in long lines for food, water, and supplies that come at a painfully slow pace. These images stand in stark contrast to those we witnessed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. They are not new, as looting and chaos have become commonplace reactions to incidents both natural and man-made. Liberal radio talk show host Bill Press shared his concern at the cultural differences that leave our country looking like barbarians in the wake of hardship. He recounted his living in California at the time of the Rodney King inspired riots, lootings and violence. He posed the question to his listeners, “Japanese Civility: Why don’t Americans have it?”
It is interesting that the question being posed on a liberal talk show has it’s answer in part in liberal social policies of our recent history. After the Great Depression, FDR introduced American citizens to the modern age of the massive government program. The stage had been set for decades of “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” While these programs may have been well meaning given the outset of the depression and necessary for many Americans to even survive, they were meant to be short term aids not generational replacements for actual work. Roosevelt himself in the midst of the depression stated “Continued dependence on relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit.” Yes Mr. President, your words were prophetic and millions are now incurable addicts.
A maze of programs have been enacted since. The odd statistic that resulted from all the aid available is that no matter what has occurred in the economy, the welfare rolls have increased. Whether the unemployment rate was 10% or 3%, more people are added to the public dole each year. During the Great Depression, easily our country’s darkest fiscal time, welfare recipients comprised 1% of the population. In the mid-nineties, one of our strongest economies, 15% of Americans were on welfare. Liberal programs have managed to get nearly 1 in 6 of our citizens on some form of the narcotic that FDR warned us about. The reactions of the poor of our country to incidents that threaten their supply chain speak volumes to entitlement priorities. As we watch the victims in Japan wait patiently for life saving staples, we remember pictures of our own smashing storefronts to extract the staples of American life…TV’s, DVD Players, computers, etc.
In Japan, a culture that depends far more on family and neighbor in time of need, the fruits of that dependence are obvious in their civility. In a nation where welfare recipients comprise .07% of the population, the narcotic has no grip on the poor. They have a yoke to be sure, but it is one that will be unshackled by hard work, resilience, and yes, the government. But when recovery has taken place, they will likely stand on their own feet, not on those of their fellow citizens.

Perspective

It has been a while since I have posted on here, but this just boils my blood.
Perspective...President Bush played 24 rounds of golf in the 8 years he was in office. He was pounded by the media since we were at war and young men were dying. He played his last round of golf in October 2003 out of respect for military families.
Fast forward to today, we are still in the same two wars, young men are still dying, the economy is in the tank, the fifth largest earthquake in history just devastated one of our allies with an impending nuclear crisis, New Jersey is underwater, unemployment is at unsustainable levels, oil prices are soaring, Quaddafi is mowing down civilians with his Air Force jets, and Obama just took his 10 vehicle motorcade to go play his 60th round of golf. What is the media saying? That's the sound of crickets. I guess I should look at the bright side, maybe he can find the real killer since O.J. can't be out there.