Column for May 12, 2011

In a time when governments are running a deficit and having to make budget cuts, I am amazed at the mentality of many people who are on the government dole. The elections of last November were supposed to send a message to the state and federal governments that we have had enough of reckless spending. To stop spending means just that. It means that we have to cease spending in some areas. The whole “not in my program”, “but it’s for the children”, and “leave my entitlements alone” stuff just ticks me off.

I have in front of me three different news stories about whining people who decry spending cuts for their own benefit or that of pet projects. Make no mistake that most all opposition to budget cuts is not about the “overall good”. It is almost always about personal gain.

About a week ago, thousands of teachers gathered in Raleigh to protest possible budget cuts. The funny thing is that some of these public school employees were not smart enough to realize that states don’t fund the military. Some were carrying signs whining that we should fund public services, not wars. Why would one protest state government spending cuts by whining about federal military spending? And these people are educating our children?

What were thousands of “educators” doing at a protest rally instead of teaching our children, anyway? If they were really about the children rather than their own personal benefit, they would have been in the classroom instead of chanting while carrying signs on sticks. Of course the rallying cry, “It’s for our pockets” is not as effective as “It’s for the children”. I don’t buy the claims of catastrophe and dire consequences for cutting spending in education along with all other areas.

Education funding is not the only controversial subject of potential cuts. The North Carolina health fund is a program that is under scrutiny. It is a trust fund that finances anti-tobacco and obesity programs for children and teenagers. The argument against cutting that program is that the prevention efforts will be cheaper than the cost of health care later.

Call me crazy, but I figure that the responsibility of raising children is that of a parent and not the government. It is not the job of the state to keep teenagers from smoking or dipping snuff. It is not the job of the state to keep kids from putting on a few extra pounds. That is the job of a parent. As to the idea of health care later, is it not also the job of a parent to take care of a child’s health needs and not that of every other taxpayer in the state? I have two children under the age of nine. One of them has a birth defect and I do not expect the government to pay for his treatment. That is up to me as his parent and not everyone else reading this newspaper. By the same token, any other parent bears their own responsibility for their children’s health care. And truth be told, the effects of the use of tobacco products or obesity in children will probably not be felt until the children reach the age of an adult. Then it is their own responsibility, not that of the taxpayer.

I read another article about some very selfish people. In November, America overwhelmingly elected conservative legislators in the federal and state governments. Recently, Congressional Republicans went home on break and many of them held town hall style meetings to meet their constituents. Some Congressmen were booed, shouted at, and jeered by older citizens whining about any possible cuts to their Medicare, food stamps, and Social Security benefits.

I have sympathy for them, I really do. But I have said it before and I will say it again. If your plan in life was to rely upon the government to take care of you and you made no provision for your own retirement, then that is your own fault. If you bought the lie that was handed to you that you can coast in life when you reach a certain age at the expense of the taxpayer, then you have used poor judgment in life. It is not my responsibility as a taxpayer and citizen to take care of you or anyone else outside of my family. We as a people simply can no longer afford to keep doling out the cash.

In 1753, Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Repeal that [welfare] law, and you will soon see a change in their manners. St. Monday and St. Tuesday will soon cease to be holidays. 'Six days shalt thou labor,' though one of the old commandments long treated as out of date, will again be looked upon as a respectable precept; industry will increase, and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing all your estates among them.” It is as true today as it was 258 years ago. To demand or expect otherwise is selfishness.