Quote:
Originally Posted by codyace
While this may sound rhetorical, do you really think it's the system, or the lack of accountibility in the system? I often have a tough time with questions like this as while as corrupt as people paint the picture, I gotta look past the obvious and see 'why' it's the way it is. I can't write a system off as corrupt if it's being manipulated by those under it's control.
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There was an interesting story told by a friend of mine. He calls it the story of "Goodwill". Back in the 1800's when politicians used to ride their districts and talk one on one with their constituents. A politician rode up to an old farm house of a long time supporter. They engaged in friendly conversation and the old man on the farm let the congressman know that he would not be supporting him this year. When asked why? He said it was because he voted to help a poor family in washington. See, 3 blocks from the nations capitol, a terrible fire had started on christmas eve. It had caused several houses to burn down and 3 families were left in the snow with no clothes, or roofs over their heads, the children's presents and everything was gone in the fire. Feeling that it would be terrible to ignore their plight, congressmen took up the cause and passed a small appropriations bill to provide them with a christmas dinner and one present for each of the kids as a gesture of goodwill. It was a very trivial amount for this great nation and the families appreciated it much but the farmer was very angry about it. Not about helping the families but how politicians utilized the federal treasury for "goodwill". He said that started a dangerous precedent. The gov't was not in the charity business and never should be, it's business was that of running the country. There were plenty of charitable organizations that could help the poor and congressman could have petitioned some of the wealthy citizens in the capitals area to assist. The politician assured the man that it was a one time thing and the government would not get involved in charity. Alas, the story of the christmas eve family spread, and family after family began to petition their congressmen for help after disasters. Politicians began utilizing the treasury to help their own districts and drum up good press for "goodwill" projects. Whether it be fire, flood, or natural disaster, someone was there that wanted to get re-elected and was willing to utilize the treasury for that purpose. Since then, thousands of programs have been instituted in the name of "goodwill". We ran out of good things to do for our own people that we have to help out other nations people as well. We helped the english, the french, the germans, the koreans, the vietnamese, the japanese, the chinese, the saudi's, the kuwaities, the afganies, the somalis, the israelies, etc etc. All in the name of "goodwill". When we can't help them out with a specific need, we just write them a check and let them use it ad lib for aid as "goodwill". There are now political groups that state, americans need to give more because they haven't been given enough. America has gone into so much debt from giving and giving and giving. America is not selfish but people have become to expect these gifts and whole political parties have become experts at dolling out these gifts for favors and that there's whole groups that will represent you for a fee, so you can get even better gifts. In the end, what the farmer feared came true.
Is the system broken? Can it be fixed?
What is important for someone, is not important for the other. The federal government has no business trying to determine or evaluate "need" or "goodwill". Never once has the system ever spent less than it took in, or voluntarily changed its stance from spending everything. The government is only limited by the size of it's ever expanding purse and just like someone living paycheck to paycheck, they spend every dime they take in and then some, showing rampant disregard for fiscal responsibility. It's not magic that they always end up utilizing every dime of money. It's by design. If it's there they will spend it. You can not fix the system by giving it more money because they will just keep finding more and more ways of spending it. In the end, when the money supply dries up, they will then drag the rich captains of industry to the altars of sacrifice. The ones who have money are now the problem. They don't give enough of it to us for our "goodwill" projects. In the end, when the few are sacrificed for the good of the many, all will be lost.