Rights and Responsibility

Today, our country faces a myriad of issues, especially the small businessman and his employees. We are rapidly turning into a semi-socialist state; taxed and mandated. Welfare, food stamps, low-income housing, childcare, healthcare, and other government entitlements are taking a bite out of every family in our nation. Taking care of the widowed, orphaned and mentally and physically disadvantaged is our social and Biblical responsibility. However, a large segment of the “entitled” are taking advantage of the workingman. Unpaid child support, tax evasion, Medicare abuse, and countless other frauds are biting us every day. Substance abuse plays an enormous role in these problems, both socially and economically. Out of one pocket people use food stamps to buy foodstuffs of questionable value and the other pocket use cash to buy beer and cigarettes. This makes me furious! I need to take a deep breathe and settle down as not to loose my compassion. Is it my responsibility to pay for the “entitled’s” substance abuse and cable TV? NO! It is not yours either!

One right our forefathers reserved for us is the right to pursue happiness. Since childhood each of us learned basic rights, responsibilities and rewards, actions and consequences. Such as…“If you clean your room I’ll give you a cookie” (responsibility, rights and reward.) Or; “If you draw on the walls you’ll get a spanking” (action and consequences). The choices we made as children effected our pursuit of happiness. Each “so called” right we have in America is nothing more than an allowed privilege. The right to vote, to drive, to drink alcohol, to smoke cigarettes, to have cable TV, to eat microwave popcorn are all privileges NOT RIGHTS.

I am quite happy to help the under-privileged and I also believe if given the opportunity churches and other groups would handle it quite well. In lieu of common sense perhaps we should tie entitlements to responsibility. My proposal; Anyone who is behind on taxes, child support, and legal fines or is taking government assistance such as welfare, food stamps or low-income housing should be considered “at rears with society.” Immediately when someone becomes, at rears, their right to purchase alcohol or cigarettes should be suspended. This will serve two purposes. The first, it will free up monies to be spent on food, childcare and other worthwhile family pursuits. The other is also obvious; substance abuse would go down, and so would the bad decisions made by the person using the substance. Such as drinking and driving, spousal/child abuse and basic laziness. Secondly the right to vote should be suspended. Unsuccessful people do not make successful decisions! Thirdly, for the worst offenders the deadbeat dads and other tax evaders, who aren’t even trying to do their duty. Suspend their driver’s license, after taking away the other privileges.

Seem harsh? Think I’m going overboard? Than you go to a liquor/grocery store on the wrong side of the tracks. You’ll see two things; good hard working people getting just enough to survive. And you’ll see a person with two dirty kids who buys questionable foodstuffs with your tax dollars; with “their money” buy a gallon of vodka and a carton of cigarettes. Those two dirty kids deserve more. Do you think Mama or Papa sit down with the kids and do their homework? Not likely, because it’s the governments job to teach the kids. Isn’t it?

We need to get back to the basics to solve complex problems…anything else is just a Band-Aid. Rights and responsibilities, actions, consequences and rewards.