It's Not Shared Sacrifice, Stupid

Professor Walter E. Williams recently wrote in WorldNetDaily that:  "The language Congress uses to describe their spending is corrupt beyond redemption. Think about the term entitlement. If one American is entitled to something he didn't earn, where in the world does Congress get the money? It's not Santa or the Tooth Fairy. The only way Congress can give one American a dollar is to first take it from another American. Therefore, an entitlement is a congressionally given right for one American to live at the expense of another. In other words, Congress forcibly uses one American to serve the purposes of another American. As such, it differs in degree, but not kind, from that uglier part of our history where black people were forcibly used to serve the purposes of their slave masters."

This is a topic that has been railed over for decades by many political commentators; particularly those of a Libertarian bent, and for good reason.  Whether you categorize it as slavery or government-sponsored theft, the essential nature of the modern entitlement program is that it forces one person to pay for the needs or desires of another.  The idea behind such programs was, and remains in the minds of some, that it is necessary to provide these payments because certain people cannot pay their own way due to age, disability, or other unfortunate circumstance.  This well-intentioned application of Marxism (taking from those able to work for the benefit of those who are presumed to be unable) results in two logical outcomes.  First, it creates an incentive for people to find a way into eligibility for "free money" and second, it creates a bureaucratic organization to administer the money which falls under the rule of bureaucracy developed by Ronald Reagan based on his father's experiences during the Great Depression: The first duty of a bureaucracy is to protect itself. 

Of course, if a bureaucracy is engaged in self protection, it has two very effective tools; first, make sure that no one ever gets off the dole, and second, increasing the number of recipients.  In the end, with pressure from both provider and recipient, the program and expense increases.  This leads us logically to a purported Bill Clinton quote that you have to reform entitlements because that's where the money is. 

Which brings us to the subject of "shared sacrifice;" something that has become extremely popular around certain Washington DC venues of late; particularly where raising taxes on productive Americans are concerned.  The problem ISN'T that the wealthy and productive aren't paying enough in taxes; the problem IS that the government is spending way too much of other people's money.  (Cue sound bite of Rick Santelli "stop spending" rant.)  America could go to a budget surplus position tomorrow if someone with a magic wand stopped the spending.  Of course, magic isn't realistic, but it may be the only practical solution until the legislature learns to do its duty and exercise some fiscal restraint and common sense.

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