UNITED FOR RESPONSIBILITY

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 SUGGESTS ONE LAST STAND. UNITE FOR WHAT? STAND BEHIND WHAT? MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. AMERICANS EXERCISE THEIR FREE WILL LOUDLY AND OFTEN. A SMALL COMMUNITY TALKS ABOUT REALISTICALLY RAISING $50,000 IN A LOCAL FUNDRAISING EVENT. A STATE LIKE NORTH CAROLINA EASILY PROJECTS $400 MILLION A YEAR FROM THE LOTTERY. PEOPLE DO VOTE WITH THEIR POCKET BOOKS. WHEREAS PHILANTHROPHY BESPEAKS AN ELEMENT OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, GAMBLING ON A LOSING PROPOSITION DOES NOT. BOTH EXAMPLES, HOWEVER, MAKE THE CASE FOR ELIMINATING MOST VARIETIES OF WELFARE.

AMERICANS HAVE PLENTY INCOME TO SPREAD AROUND. IF AMERICANS SAVED MORE AND SPENT LESS THEY COULD REJECT HELP FROM OTHERS. A UNITED FRONT FOR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY WOULD REJECT GOVERNMENT'S SOCIAL AND WELFARE PROGRAMS FUNDED BY TAXES - THOSE EXCESSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD PREFER TO RETAIN THEMSELVES RATHER THAN HAVE THE GOVERNMENT GIVE THEM TO OTHERS. THE GOVERNMENT DEFINES THIS RE-DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH AS 'INVESTMENTS' IN LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. A SOCIALIST WOULDN'T PROTEST, BUT AMERICANS SHOULD STAND UNITED IN PROTEST. BECAUSE THEIR PERSONAL INDULGENCES CLAIM A LARGE CHUNK OF EXPENDITURES, AMERICANS COULD CUT CORNERS OR TAKE SHORT-CUTS WHEN IT COMES TO SPENDING WHETHER ON CHARITIES, ON EXTRAVAGANCES OR ON SINS. SIMPLY PUT, AMERICANS NEED TO INJECT SAVINGS INTO THEIR RATIONALE OF LIVING, TO STAND UNITED FOR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. AS BENJAMIN FRANKLIN REMINDS US, "WASTE NOT, WANT NOT," IS GOOD ADVICE FOR INVESTING IN YOUR OWN FUTURE.