Can everybody please calm down? It’s really not a big deal. What Governor Romney articulated in the leaked video is not some stunning new revelation or anything new to the Republican Party. President Reagan ran on a campaign platform of “putting the welfare bums back to work” and received some of the largest majorities in US history. What Romney stated is the unfortunate reality that needs to be talked about in this country. Why are 47% of our fellow citizens not paying federal income taxes and receiving an ever increasing amount of government benefits? Social Security and Medicare aside, it is a legitimate question. The numbers look even worse when you rephrase the question to be “Why are 25% of Americans paying nearly 90% of all federal income taxes?
While Governor Romney was correct in saying he should have phrased it more eloquently, there was nothing wrong with what he said. The mentality today by far too many Americans is that the federal government is in place to provide for their personal needs and that they are inherently entitled to housing, healthcare, and food just because they are fortunate enough to live in the United States. Likewise, many Americans incorrectly view themselves as victims of an evil corporate system that needs to be balanced by massive government handouts to the poor. This mentality is strongly promoted in public schools and universities all across the country. The worst offender is Massachusetts candidate Elizabeth Warren – whose entire existence is a disgrace to the founders who fought the American Revolution in her backyard.
The truth of the matter is that we need serious welfare and entitlement reform to help people get off public assistance and on with their lives. We tragically have generations of people who are unable to get off welfare and move up the social ladder – largely because there is no incentive to do so. Most conservatives believe in a reasonable government safety net to help those who are trying to help themselves. It makes sense to help those are legitimately trying to find work, not abusing drugs or alcohol, and attempting to responsibly raise a family. But the problem is that the current system is too easily abused and leads people to believe that they are permanently entitled to these benefits. I’ll never forget the news stories of people using welfare payments to take trips to Disneyland or buy lottery tickets. It defeats the purpose and gives people the wrong idea – you’re not inherently entitled to anything here in America except life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When private citizens (through our tax dollars) decide to help those in need, we expect those dollars to be used effectively and not be wasted.
The only reason this video has gotten so much publicity is because the media is working overtime to help the President and his reelection effort. Can anyone remember the last Obama gaffe covered by the mainstream media? As far as I’m concerned, the Obama Presidency has been one giant disappointing gaffe. In a nutshell, President Obama believed in creating jobs by growing government, spent $5 trillion in the process, vilified business owners, and kept unemployment above 8 percent. If that’s not a gaffe, I don’t know what is.
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