Welfare or Handouts?

by Daniel True

Times are rough, and indications are that things are not going to improve any time soon!  Unemployment is at its highest level in several decades. Pay and jobs have been cut or frozen except for the heads of companies who grant themselves exorbitant bonuses and salaries, and for our “duly elected government officials” who get a “free ride” for LIFE!

So, where does it end? Well, first let’s look at the beginning, which is always a good place to start. In our early days as a people, the uncivilized, ignorant tribes sent out hunters who brought in food for everyone. Then, with the beginning of “religions”, there was always a provision “set aside” for the unemployed, the sick, the young and the old. This still applies, and includes Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and probably the Oriental faiths as well. In short, the “church” took care of its own.

This worked fine until the worldwide Great Depression of the 20’s-30’s. Suddenly there were no jobs to speak of, and for that reason the Church’s funds fell off also. There was no money to feed the indigent, just a few “soup kitchens”, primarily in the cities.  So, in a benevolent (big brother) action, the US government instituted a Federal welfare program. Also, the Roosevelt administration created the Works Progress Administration (WPA) that provided millions of “government” work; building roads and bridges, municipal buildings, parks, and other infrastructural projects. Virtually all communities had WPA jobs; my Dad worked for the WPA as a Director in SW Va.

Then, WWII hit in the 40’s and that ended those programs. Men who were not drafted into the military, and women, were employed in defense plants.

However, the government-initiated welfare programs continue. But, the recent “faith-based initiatives” have or are being ended by this administration.

Looking at Income Tax – although provided for in the Constitution, the first implementation was in 1861 to pay for the “Civil” (not!) War. In 1894, a Democratic Congress instituted a permanent income tax (to fund their salaries, offices, pet projects, they had learned what “pork” was !!). The next year, 1895, the Supreme Court declared it un-Constitutional. In 1916, the Congress got the 16^th Amendment passed and that made it “legal”.

Initially, the rates were low – 2% on a max salary of $8,000. In the 1960’s, with the “Great Society” program’s demands, taxes went through the roof! And, so we have today’s situation. The people are being bled by excessive taxes to pay for virtually every whim of our legislators.

Note that this has been the case for the +40 years since the 60’s, regardless of the political party in power. They (all) saw a good thing and “pumped” that well until it is now dry.

So, what can be done?

At first glance, NOTHING! We should have instituted term limits. That would have curtailed many of them from learning the “tricks of the trade” (how best to pump the well for their personal benefit). After one term, most of them become part of the “In Crowd” – hirudineans (a leech with a mouth at both ends)!

Most importantly, we should have voted for reputable, honest people. The problem there is that we didn’t know who or if there were any of them. Their true colors were revealed only after they were elected. How many times have we heard a lot of promises (to get votes, to get elected), only to see a 180º re-positioning after the election. “Read my lips” or “I’ll bring change” are empty words, as we have seen. This year is no different, just more (much more) of the same old politics as usual.

And now, the well is dry.

If you have ever lived up north, you know that once a snowball starts rolling downhill, you can’t stop it. It keeps getting bigger and BIGGER and BIGGER until it hits bottom and then crashes. Apparently that’s where we are headed.

By contrast, and certainly NOT currently used as role models, our founding fathers did not receive any remuneration for service to the Nation, they just put their lives on the line as traitors, rebellious to the throne of England! They even paid their own way to meetings of the Continental Congress.

Presently, I personally do not see any solution that would work. Those in Washington (and in each statehouse) who are sitting on their gilded thrones will not give up their succulent golden teat, just to make change in favor of this Nation. As was Germany early in the last century, we are destined for a fall, for our leadership is debauched.

As a Nation, we would have to cut ALL unnecessary expenses, give up ALL pork barrel deviancies, set Congressional salary to $1 per year and surrender all Congressional monetary inducements (insurance, retirement – “golden parachutes”, etc.).

My friend, that ain’t gonna happen! I can only see one way out of our situation:

“Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!”  (Rev 22:20)

PS. I am NOT a “defeatist” but I am an “End-Timer“. Watch for my next posting – “The Anti-Christ“!