The Helpless Nation

     With one of the worst post-World War II economies, the Middle East sitting on a powder keg, the reckless abandon with which the Federal Reserve is printing tens of billions of dollars every month to loan to the federal government, and on and on ad infinitum, the item most in the news lately has been the upcoming continuing resolution fight. The question that was on every one's lips, at least the lips on the Right, was "Will congressional Republicants stand for principle and fight the good and noble fight to de-fund ObamaCare?" With that question now answered, the non-support for Ted Cruz and his effort being more than sufficient evidence that they will not stand on principle, the more important question is, "How was government-run health care able to become such a prominent idea in the minds of so many Americans?"
     There was a time, not that many years ago, when the American people as a whole would have never allowed their representatives in congress to proffer such legislation that would take the responsibility of health care out of the hands of the individual and place it firmly in the hands of unelected bureaucrats. But come October 1, when online registration for ObamaCare commences, millions of Americans will run to their computers with their outstretched greedy little hands saying, "Give me, give me, give me, I am entitled." A sad devolution for the brave and the free who have been transformed into the helpless and the voluntarily oppressed.
     This growing helplessness in the United States that has spread like a cancer the last fifty years or so, has made inroads in every aspect of American life. I am amazed at the attitude of people not only feeling entitled to health care and prescription drugs, but to everything from cell phones to subsidies for installing insulation in their home. The financial crisis of 2008, resulting from the artificially overheated mortgage market, was partly the fault of government regulators and financial and mortgage industry players. But at its core, the crisis was caused by unqualified buyers who felt entitled to own a home, even if they could not afford one. This feeling of entitlement has continued with government mortgage assistance programs that use taxpayer dollars to provide mortgage help to individuals who are in over their heads.
     From every little inconvenience to every natural disaster, Americans have been trained to run to government like it is some national mother that is going to kiss the boo boo and make it better. While the funding of ObamaCare is an important question, a more important one is, "How do we gain back our independence as a nation?" The American people must be retrained to do for themselves and not expect some other entity to provide them their basic needs and shoulder their personal responsibilities. Because until this task is accomplished, we will be a helpless nation at the mercy of politicians who will gladly expedite the trading of our liberty for an ever-expanding government that they control.