As the year 2011 draws to a close, it seems that, if there was one word that has defined this year, that word would be "DEBT". Everywhere we turn, we are bombarded with the word, Local governments are finding themselves mired in debt as a result of their free-wheeling spending during the late-1990's and early 2000's and the reductions in ad valorem tax receipts that have resulted from the bursting of the real estate bubble. Most states are facing debt crises; especially those that have historically been led by liberals - states such as California, New York, and Illinois. We need not even mention (but we will) the nation's $15 trillion debt - a sum that boggles the mind of those capable of comprehending the magnitude thereof and one that carries little meaning to the rest.
Bailouts of corporations and governmental entities are now the rage and the phrase “too big to fail” has become part of 21st century lexicon. Over the past few months, a great deal of news has been devoted to the impending collapse of the economies of the European Union nations. Greece has been singled out due to the civil unrest that has resulted from that nation's feeble attempts to pull itself out of its debt-ridden malaise. Other European nations such as Italy, Spain, and Portugal are suffering from similar, if less-severe, economic maladies. These nations have been looking to their somewhat-more-fiscally-responsible brethren – such as Germany – in the hope that the more frugal nations will rescue them from their quagmires. Newscasters seem wont to refer to the aforementioned economic woes as "debt crises".
True. They ARE crises. But, when you break them down, they are not crises caused by debt. Debt is merely a symptom of the underlying disease. These crises have been caused by failed liberal policies and the indebtedness that has resulted from these policies. The disease is liberalism. Politicians in Washington have, for many years, exhibited a desire to buy votes from their constituents by spending taxpayers' dollars on endless entitlement programs. This is evidenced by the fact that nearly half of the population (forty-seven percent) pays no federal income taxes. All the while these same individuals are being propped up by the half that DOES. Hard-working Americans have stood by and watched their tax dollars being frittered away on various and sundry projects that elected officials have managed to fund for their political cronies. The Solyndra scandal is an obvious example of this.
The nanny state mentality has invaded the United States
The nanny state mentality has invaded the United States. Most of Europe has experienced this liberal mindset for several decades now and it is pretty much a way of life in that part of the world. But this is a relatively new concept to most Americans; and one that is not as welcome as many in the media would like to have us believe. This is borne out by the result of the elections of 2010 as Democrats were decidedly defeated in the House of Representatives and in state legislatures across the nation. However, the Democrat-led Congress of 2007-2011 and the Obama presidency have seen to it that liberal policies have been rammed down America's throat. One need look no farther than the Affordable Care Act (aka, Obamacare) to see evidence of the nanny state's foothold in the US. The list only begins with Obamacare. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, sold to the nation as a stimulus plan that was promised to spur economic growth and create jobs achieved little - except for the fact that it added a trillion dollars to our already bloated debt.
The Occupy Wall Street movement has certainly garnered a great deal of media attention. But what are the occupiers demanding? When you break it down, it is nothing more than a demand for even MORE in terms of nanny state coddling. These protesters, like their European counterparts, want no part of hard work and individual initiative and accomplishment. They are demanding that the government take even more from the productive and bestow it upon the lackadaisical and shiftless. In addition to their “free” healthcare, they want the government to absolve them of their financial obligations with respect to student loans. One cannot help but to wonder where it will stop – IF it ever will.
So the next time that you hear the term "debt crisis", pause for a moment and consider exactly what the person uttering the phrase actually means. Does he or she really mean that the debt is the problem? Or is the person, in effect, pointing out the failures of chronic liberalism?
The safest bet is on the latter.
James Sharp is a middle-aged, middle-class, middle-management salesman who believes in secure borders and fighting our enemies with a strong military. He also believes in limited government, free markets, and unlimited opportunity and personal liberties for all citizens of the U.S.
