NO FREE RIDE

ALFRED LORD TENNYSON, THE BRITISH POET, "DIPT INTO THE FUTURE, FAR AS HUMAN EYE COULD SEE/ SAW THE VISION OF THE WORLD, AND ALL THE WONDERS THAT WOULD BE; / SAW THE HEAVENS FILL WITH COMMERCE, ARGOSIES OF MAGIC SAILS, /" SO I ASK MYSELF WHAT IN AMERICA'S FUTURE SHOULD PREVAIL?

I HAVE NO ILLUSIONS, DON'T BROOK DREAMS AND AM NOT ENTHRALLED BY UNREALISTIC BELIEFS, HOPES OR LOVES. AMERICA'S FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IS TERRIBLE AND ONGOING. AMERICA'S DECLINE INTO CULTURAL DECADENCE MUST BE SLOWED. NEVERTHELESS, I WISH THAT AMERICANS WOULD UNITE FOR SOMETHING THAT REPRESENTS A LASTING STAND. UNITE FOR WHAT? MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. ACCOUNTABILITY IS WANTING WHEN SOME AMERICANS SUBSIDIZE OTHER AMERICAN OMNIVORES WITH FOOD STAMPS. WE ALL KNOW THAT RECIPIENTS SIMPLY TRANSFER THEIR FREED-UP DOLLARS TO PURCHASES ELSEWHERE OR MAKE UNWISE AND UNECONOMICAL MENU SELECTONS WITH THEIR FREE CARDS. IN PAST YEARS, COMMODITIES DISTRIBUTED WERE OFTEN 'SOLD' AS UNDESIRABLE. SUCH A GOVERNMENT FUNDED PROGRAM PROMOTES THE INABILITY TO FUNCTION WITHOUT EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE. IRRESPONSIBILITY. I'LL CITE ANOTHER EXAMPLE, A TRANSPORTATION 'PROGRAM', 'PROJECT', 'UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP' OR 'SERVICE' AS IT WAS VARIOUSLY DESCRIBED BY A FEW INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED BY IT. IT IS PRIMARILY FUNDED BY ODOT, JOBS AND FAMILY SERVICES AND MEDICAID DOLLARS. THOSE EVALUATED AND ELIGIBLE FOR IT ARE USUALLY 'ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED,' A POPULAR, EUPHEMISTIC TERM, WHICH IF TRANSLATED INTO BEHAVORIAL TERMS, REFERS TO ANYONE WHO CAN 'GAME THE SYSTEM' OF SUBSIDIES OR WHO CAN PROVE THAT MONEY IS TIGHT WHILE NOT REVEALING THAT IT HAS BEEN SQUANDERED. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES RIDES NOT ONLY TO THE CITY FOR SHOPPING, BUT ALSO TO A LOCAL PUMPKIN SHOW. TALK CIRCULATED AMONG ITS DIRECTORS ABOUT INCLUDING RIDES TO OUT-OF-TOWN BASEBALL GAMES. IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT? INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED BY OR INVOLVED WITH THIS PUBLICALLY FUNDED ENTITY RAVE ABOUT 'ECONOMIC SELF-INTEREST' AND THEIR IMPACT UPON THE 'QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE.' LORD, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO! THEY DO A DISSERVICE TO THE MEANING OF PUBLIC SERVICE BECAUSE PROPER SERVICE CAN ONLY BE RENDERED BY CITIZENS TO THEMSELVES. EVER SINCE PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON ENVISIONED HIS "GREAT SOCIETY" THROUGH EXPANDED WELFARE PROGRAMS IN THE 1960'S, THE GREATNESS OF AMERICA HAS BEEN MEASURED BY THE VASTNESS OF ITS GRATUITIES (DOLES). THE NEED FOR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY HAS BEEN REPLACED BY AN ACCEPTABLE PATTERN IN SOCIETY IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS SPEND EVERY CENT OF THEIR INCOMES - AND BEYOND - UNTIL THE GOAL OF BEING ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED HAS BEEN REACHED. AT THIS POINT, THE ROAD TO WELFARE NIRVANA BEGINS. I GRANT THAT MOST AMERICANS SPEND BEYOND THEIR WAYS AND MEANS, BUT AT SPENDING THE EARNINGS OF ONE'S NEIGHBOR, I DRAW THE LINE. RELYING ON ONE'S NEIGHBOR FOR SUPPORT IN PUBERTY, ADULTHOOD OR RETIREMENT IS BEYOND THE MORAL PALE.

AMERICANS DESERVE A BETTER APPRAISAL OF THEIR WORTH. VOTERS HAVE BEEN BETRAYED BY THEIR POLITICIANS WHO FAIL TO USE THEIR MANDATES TO FURTHER THE PUBLIC GOOD WHEN THE GOAL OF WELFARE DOES NOT EQUATE WITH THE GOOD OF PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY. OUR POLITICIANS AND LEADERS - BY WORD AND EXAMPLE - SHOULD ENCOURAGE ACROSS THE BOARD INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTABILITY WHICH DISCOURAGES OVER-SPENDING AND IRRESPONSIBLE DEBT. THEY SHOULD ENCOURAGE SOME LEVEL OF SAVINGS NOW AND A HABIT OF SAVING INTO THE FUTURE. THEY SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE DISTRIBUTION OF FREE STUFF ONLY IF IT IS OFFERED BY PRIVATE CHARITY. THEY SHOULD ENCOURAGE HEALTHY SELF- INTEREST THAT PROMOTES A FOCUS ON DUTIES AS WELL AS THEIR COUNTERBALANCES, RIGHTS. IF ONE TAXPAYER DISCOURAGED ANOTHER TAXPAYER OR NON-TAXPAYER FROM TAKING A FREE RIDE AT THE EXPENSE OF A TAXPAYER, ONE TAXPAYER AND ONE RIDER AT A TIME, THIS INITIATIVE WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO RESTORING PRIDE TO THE TAXPAYER AND NON-TAXPAYER ALIKE BECAUSE EACH INDIVIDUAL WOULD TRANSPORT HIMSELF.