Sunday, January 16, 2011

Our Insolvent Democracy

I remember President Eisenhower's terms in office well. I had been a fan of Truman and had serious doubts about how well an Army "General" would operate in the world of politics, that he might be a lamb among wolves. Well, I wrongly discounted the lessons he had learned in trying to keep Montgomery and Patton from killing each other and focusing on the Germans and Italians...but that is a different story.

what impressed me most (and continues to this day) was Eisenhower's farewell address just as he was leaving office. The Speech on January 17, 1951, was televised...sixty (60) years ago. Most remember his caution about the Military-Industrial Complex (which warning was proven to be true, even though subsequently misused by the Progressive-Liberal-Socialist-Democrat movements of the time). But there was a paragraph much more important...and of particular importance today:

"Another factor in maintaining balance involves the element of time. As we peer into society's future, we – you and I, and our government – must avoid the impulse to live only for todayplundering for, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without asking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow.” [underlines added:DT]

Too bad we can't bring him back, bust all the politicians to private and put them at the command and training of the General...we certainly would be better off.



We (the American people) have been "blaming someone else for more than 60 years now. We allow politicians to promise free lunches when we have always known they don't exist. We have allowed politicians to get away with Ponzi schemes before Ponzi ever existed...and re-electing them for their prowess.

Every tax ever put into effect has been touted as "temporary". Yeah...right. Every infrastructure has been funded "only until it is paid for, and then reduced and used only to pay for maintenance." Right...sure.

Then those funds are taken by the politicians to cover their regular government operating costs so that they don't have to raise the taxes to pay for the "free" lunch that you were promised. And decades later, as our bridges and highways and public buildings are crumbling, the current crop of crooks wring their hands looking for someone other than the taxpayer to pay...what a load of Bovine Excretion.

How about a politician who simply says..".You and your parents got the lunch...here is the bill. Suck it up and understand that you voted in the people who screwed things up...you are responsible...you are going to pay...and the bill is due right now." That is what we deserve.

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