A Beginning

We have just come through a very contested and divisive presidential campaign which has defined the differences in our country in pretty stark terms. We could look at this as the beginning of the end of the United States of America which we love or as the beginning of a dialogue which must be no holds barred, frank, straightforward and without concern for feelings and emotion. We cannot afford to ignore these issues or sugar coat the challenges to protect my or your feelings any longer. Politically correct dialogue must become a thing of the past; as must identity politics. There should be one identity, American.

Why must there just be an American identity? Well, the simple truth is we have allowed politicians to use those separate identities to divide us and appeal to our self-interest. We segregate ourselves in these artificial ways and allow special incentives to be given to us in tax breaks, set asides, or preferences for different things. We do not consider what would be best for all of us or how much it will cost someone else; and it will cost someone else because resources are finite and there are no free lunches.

We have allowed ourselves to be divided ethnically, by age, by income, by social standing. Social Security is used to divide us by age. The Democrats tell the old that their “benefits” will be cut if Republicans are in office. The Republicans tell those who are working about the percentage of the budget which go to Social Security payments and that the Social Security Trust Fund is going to be bankrupt. There is truth in all those statements, but also lies of omission.

The Social Security Trust Fund will become insolvent because of the population bubble which is fast approaching. But if the Government under both parties hadn’t been using the fund to borrow against because they won’t hammer out a budget which makes the Government live within its means, the fund would be solvent.

We the people are also to blame for the state of the Social Security Trust Fund because we expect government to be our Daddy. We think we deserve some kind of tax break, refund, or government service which we don’t think we should have to pay for or we don’t require our lawmakers to come up with a solution which will make it fiscally responsible. As citizens we have to be honest with ourselves and understand these things don’t just magically appear; they are going to have to be paid for by someone in the form of taxes or fees.

Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself when pondering these things. How much of your earned money are you willing to give away to fund someone else’s lifestyle? Why should someone fund the lifestyle you desire when you won’t do it for yourself? Why are you entitled to any part of someone else’s paycheck? Are your wants more important than someone else’s? Why should you be immune to the unexpected turns of life? Why aren’t you more responsible in your budgeting? Why aren’t you saving for those unexpected consequences? What are your real beliefs, morals, and ethics? Are you voting according to them? If not, why aren’t you? Are you responsible for what people did 5 or 6 generations ago? If not, why do you even entertain the notion of reparations? If a government program meant to alleviate poverty still has families on the program after 4 generations, why does it still exist? Let’s just start with these questions and go from there.