Cliff of destruction: Williams warns selfishness, irresponsibility endangering America

What is one of the single greatest problems facing our nation today – and what is the solution? In my upcoming book, I cover societal dependence on government. That dependence is leading to an all-out "Big Daddy" paternalistic government. A main reason we are heading toward such a failure in society and government is the selfishness of many and, ultimately, the irresponsibility of too many.

Anyone can watch or read the news for a short amount of time and see selfishness, greed and irresponsibility in not only legislators and public officials, but in ordinary American citizens.

For example, where else can you find greed if not in a Democrat presidential candidate? According to Roger Friedman's column at Fox News' website, Al and Tipper were requesting tickets for a Bruce Springsteen concert, where they would take Gore's staff. However, when the Mrs. found out there were only four tickets available – and they would have to pay for them – they said forget it.

Another example: In our justice system, there is an unfortunate amount of room for criminals to avoid big punishments, or a punishment at all. Andrea Yates, for example, evaded the death penalty on the grounds of insanity even though she drowned all her children. Although we won't know for sure whether she was actually insane, many criminals get off on grounds of insanity.

Furthermore, our own government has made it easier for criminals not to receive their rightful punishment. If a convicted felon scores below 70 on an IQ test, he or she is labeled retarded and is ineligible to get the needle.

And there is another great problem facing America that has begun to clog up the justice system. That problem is the frivolous lawsuits facing tobacco companies and fast-food restaurants. Although the essence of such litigation is amazingly absurd, lawsuits blaming tobacco companies for health problems and lawsuits blaming fast food restaurants for obesity are being won.

A long time problem that has attributed to the growth of government is handouts – not just the millions of dollars given to victims of the World Trade Center attack, but OKC bombing victims could be next.

Yet, there is much more than that. Recently, citizens have been demanding a prescription-drug plan. Still, for some time now, more and more welfare has been demanded, as well as Medicare, social security, corporate subsidies and a long list of other government programs.

Government has also stepped in to take care of parents. Unfortunately, moms and dads have been using the public education system as a daycare service. A middle-class family has a single child and two jobs. The mom drops the kid off at school, he stays for after-school programs and then is off to daycare, his mom picks him up late and puts him to bed … but not before she lies, saying, "I love you."

Those are just some examples of what is happening in our selfish and irresponsible culture.

What's wrong with all these things, some may ask? They are taking our country toward a cliff of destruction. The government can only handle so much. It is impossible to give away services and money and cut taxes. Therefore, our national debt continues to rise, leading to a crash-and-burn situation in the nation.

The people of the United States today are the undeserving heirs of such patriots as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Adams and many more founding fathers. They sacrificed so much for their posterity and left such a legacy of our founding that the nation today doesn't deserve. Two words America must hear: grow up.

In contrast to what is in abundance in our nation today, responsibility in America was and is a requirement. Without it, the Constitution is just a piece of paper, the Declaration of Independence is of no importance, and the eventual destruction of limited government and freedom is certain.

In my upcoming book, I cover societal dependence on government. That dependence is leading to an all-out "Big Daddy" paternalistic government. A main reason we are heading toward such a failure in society and government is the selfishness of many and, ultimately, the irresponsibility of too many.

I do not really agree that selfishness is tantamount to government dependence. What it is in fact is a worship of government. Selfishness involves more of worship of oneself, which is by and large anti-governmental.

It is selfish of people to expect the governemnt to tax others in order for it to provide them "benefits". I think that is what he meant by selfishness.

I know it is off-topic, but I just went to Drudge. The top headline is "attacking squirrel captured". Beneath is was a big picture of McAuliffe. They were for different stories, but it just struck me as funny.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.