Posted on 12/08/2011 7:09:10 AM PST by Kaslin
Tom Brokaw has written a book about the Greatest Generation, a generation that grew up with fathers in the home who saw it as their duty to instill in their sons a work ethic. The Greatest Generation went on to win World War II. Newt Gingrich is right when he warns that the newest generation does not understand or appreciate the value of good, hard work.
Tragically, 40 million children will go to bed tonight without a father in the home to teach them the economic facts of life. One wonders how exactly these children will ever learn any kind of work ethic. While in some cases there is a fine mother like mine who can instill it in them, more often than not it's simply not possible.
When I was 10 years old I wanted an expensive, new 10-speed Schwinn bike. I asked my mother -- the late Hollywood actress Jane Wyman, who could easily afford it -- if she would simply buy the bike for me.
She said she would loan me the money if I signed a note acknowledging the debt. I said, "Mom, I am only 10 years old. What can I possibly do to make enough money to pay you back?" She told me I could earn money by selling newspapers.
I signed the note, and every Sunday until I fully paid for that bike I sold papers in front of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Beverly Hills. Later I asked Mom why she made me work for that bike when the other kids' parents simply gave them their bikes.
I'll never forget what she told me. She said, "I build men, not boys, and if you don't learn to work for what you want now, you will end up as a 40-year-old boy.
"I want a man."
I pray that that's what she got in her only son. At least that's what I try to be.
On that issue alone, Mom would have voted for Newt Gingrich, who holds the same convictions she did.
World War II was followed by incredible economic growth, which gave the false impression that prosperity was no longer just around the corner, but guaranteed by the power and majesty of the Federal government as here and forever present.
What we have now is what has been called "the entitlement generation," Americans who believe that by merely existing they are entitled to a host of unearned benefits paid for by money extracted from their fellow Americans' tax payments.
That the pockets of those American tax payers are not bottomless -- and sooner or later will no longer be available to the tax and spend crowd that infests Washington, D.C. -- has not reached into the minds of this spoiled generation. They really believe that money somehow grows on trees, or at least on printing presses.
We are fast approaching the time when the Feds will no longer be able to print enough paper dollars to finance their multiple programs which are designed to buy the votes of the nation's tax payers.
Hard work gave birth to the Greatest Generation; we are giving birth to the neediest.
Well written and good perspective from M.Reagan.
Great read..Thanks for posting.
Gingrich haters in 3, 2, 1.....
[We are fast approaching the time when the Feds will no longer be able to print enough paper dollars to finance their multiple programs which are designed to buy the votes of the nation’s tax payers]
Huh? I thought they were designed to buy the votes of he nation’s tax takers not payers.
That is some uncommon wisdom. Too many mothers want to keep their little boys forever.
I made the comment to a pastor some time ago that our children, children in general, seemed to be growiung up with the mores of the idle rich. The last couple of years has done nothing to change my opinion.
One of the problems, by the way, is that illegals and new legal immigrants are taking the jobs that were previously held by teenagers. Teens have much less opportunity for good, solid work than they did when I was their age.
Picking cotton, bailing hay, milking cows, and all the work that goes along with farming and ranching used to give kids an appreciation for the satisfaction of good, solid hard work.
It wasn’t fun but it certainly made spare time a lot more fun and we were less likely to go “occupy” some city park or protest against our country.
Huh?
Well he’s a liberal and as everyone knows, liberals are hypocrites
*rme* I swear. LOL
Blame the lawyers and politicians. Between costly restrictive regulations and minimum wages created by politicians and the horrendous liabilities created by lawyers, it is not practical to employ teens. I would readily employ a neighborhood teen to cut my grass each week but I cannot accept the liability and risk if that teen gets "a boo boo". I won't employ illegals to do it so I cut it myself. But look at all the yard companies with workforces of illegals. They exist because they are the entity abosrbing the risk.
If I may be so bold - It's Brokaw's hubris. The Greatest Generation isn't great for it's own accomplishments. It's great because it spawned him and his peers. In light of what the "Boomer Generation" has done with the fruit's of the labors of their parents I think the whole "Greatest Generation" thing needs to be reevaluated. Because of their (GG's) sacrifices their spawn grew up to be the most narcissistic and selfish generation in our history. Their numbers combined with their selfishness could kill this 'grand-experiment.'
TS
Go with a Shop Vac.... I recommend DEWALT DC515K 1/2 Gallon 18-Volt NiCd Cordless Wet/Dry Vac. It’s about $139......... and you can take it anywhere. LOL
I am amazed that this stuff is paid for with our tax dollars... it’s insane.
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