80/20

Back when I was working a police extra job at a downtown garage I would often read the job applications for those looking for work as parking garage attendants. It was an education reading some of the answers. One fellow when asked if he were here on a Visa put down that he had 20/20. I think they hired him just to have his card on file to read once in a while, sort of a rainy day laugh.

I was talking with the folks who own the house across the street from my rent house; explaining about the necessity of having to clean up the place and find a responsible renter. She asked if I intended to put in a government renter. I had to admit that I was unfamiliar with how that worked, even though I was aware that such things were available. Apparently there is a list of folks waiting to get into “rent assisted” housing units. I was told that the government pays on time and that there is no risk, or almost no risk involved because these renters wouldn’t want to jeopardize a good thing.

“What kind of good thing?”, I asked.

“The government pays 80% of the agreed upon rent and they only have to pay 20%.”, was the answer. “Lots of the houses in our area have government renters”, she added.

I have no intention of joining the ranks of those who take advantage of the tax doles being portioned out. This is another of the wealth redistribution tactics used, it sounds too good to be on the “up and up” for those looking for a nice house to live in because it is too good to be on the “up and up”. Somebody is paying for it, just a matter of who. What makes anyone think they should be permitted to live well above their means in a very nice home?

I’d like to live in one of those exclusive neighborhoods next to the golf course so I try to convince the government that I’m one of the “deserving” downtrodden because my parents were both crack heads, drop outs or whatever the criteria is for becoming a member of the handout list. “Mr. Stern, you earn too much money to qualify, sorry. You need to earn no more than $20,000 per year”, or some other arbitrarily decided income figure, to qualify for government handouts.

There is something terribly wrong with a system of government when it rewards those who aspire to lower levels by rewarding them with homes paid for with tax money from their equals or barely above the same arbitrarily derived qualification level income. I have no issue with helping those “less fortunate” via my voluntary contributions at church or through other voluntary means; however, I am more than vehemently perturbed to hear that some folks are getting a free ride at my expense. I have added this to my list of things to work on through my elected officials.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness does not equate to government guaranteed Happiness, and it surely never was intended to mean that any one citizen was to achieve happiness through imposed taxes to pay for such…and don’t call me Shirley.

What kind of person would permit, ask for or expect such a “something for nothing” deal? I will tell you; they are the same folks who think that medical bills and prescriptions should be taken care of for free or at a greatly reduced cost, that everyone should make exactly the same amount of money regardless of ability, education, invested capital or ability to provide. These are the same folks who scream for equality until they are asked to pitch in and pay their fare share. These are the same folks who claim that they are being discriminated against because of skin color, lack of education, ethnic origin or any number of excuses for not having the internal fortitude to live the American life or dream. They somehow missed out; they should have been a member of some other continent and country where such philosophies are not only accepted but thought of as ideal.

I bought a car from my dad, my first car. It was a tan Plymouth Belvedere with a 318 V8 and got me a very expensive speeding ticket as I tested common sense and mortality on my way through Spring Valley one night. I can’t remember what year the car was made, it may have been a 1963 model. It had push buttons for the automatic transmission off to the side of the dashboard if that helps to zoom in on the age of that car. In any case the sale amount was to be financed by Dad and I was to pay him back each month out of my earnings. At the time I was a vendor working at Rice University’s football games and at the Astrodome.

I had a special one time offer from Dad where for each time I paid $ 6.00, I was credited for $ 10.00; a sweetheart deal if ever there was one. I earned quite a bit during one summer of working at the Dome and had enough to pay off the remainder of the debt; for the sake of simplicity, it was about $ 400.00. I saw no need for Dad to continue with his “10 for 6 deal” and paid off the balance due in even dollars. I suppose I could have continued letting Dad help me out with my meager financial situation; except that I was dead set on becoming responsible for my own life and this was one way to show Dad that I understood some of the principles he’d taught me. I needed to be a man.

Again I ask, what kind of folks would let another pay for their expenses or have the audacity to demand such? What kind of elected folks would foist such a swindle on hard working tax payers? I think it’s high time we changed the game plan back to one in which each member of society earns their own way, not forgetting that the truly in need will always have to be taken into consideration; this whole thing we call entitlements has gone too far; 80/20, I still can’t believe my ears.

This is my entry to Life Liberty and Property’s Carnival of Liberty V.