The Moral Liberal

By T.F. Stern,

Okay, all you fine folks wanting your neighbors to help you purchase that new washer/dryer, refrigerator or air conditioner replacement; the State of “Texas landed a $23 million slice of the $300 million appliance-rebate stimulus pie.”  So reads the opening line of Tracy Hobson Lehmann’s article in the San Antonio Express-News, reprinted in the Houston Chronicle.

All that “free stimulus money” that comes out of somebody’s wallet, just not your own wallet; becomes available as of April 16^th, makes me proud to be a tax contributor.   You want to understand why the once greatest and most powerful nation on earth can’t blow its nose without getting permission from the Saudi’s or the Chinese; take a look at the red ink balance in our bank account, a figure so large most folks can’t begin to fathom.

Let’s spend some more and really be broke.  The idea of being self reliant, paying your own way at one time was the rule rather than the exception.  During the Bush years the “greatest generation” succumbed to the tantalizing carrot held in front of them, government assisted prescription drugs.  “We’ve earned it”, came their response; in stereophonic surround sound no less.  “We’ve been paying our taxes all these years; it’s about time we got something for our money”, as if such rationalization makes it perfectly fine to take money out of the next generation’s wallet.

Our government has grown so large as to make entitlements the law of the land.  Instead of teaching self reliance and hard work the new mantra is “Use that stimulus money or somebody else will”.   The national treasury is broke and yet our legislators spend like drunken sailors.  I should amend that last line, at least when drunken sailors run out of money they stop spending.

Let’s work on a different strategy, one based on sound principles; “If the money ain’t there, don’t spend it.”  You’ll forgive my countrified way of puttin’ things, them big city folks might talk nice; but it’s always on my dime.

I remember one of my church leaders, Robert D. Hales,  telling of how he wanted to buy his wife a new coat, something he thought she would enjoy.  His wife was delighted he’d considered such an expensive gift; but explained how much happier she’d be if they didn’t spend money on such an extravagance that she really didn’t need.  The lesson, in case you were wondering, live within your means and you’ll be happy, perhaps even more so.

Lucy and I have lived within our budget for years and we sleep very well at night, not having to worry about folks we don’t owe money to and living quite well. There’s a certain peace of mind that comes with living providently; something which makes you stand a little taller with your shoulders squared.  Unfortunately America can only hang its head in shame for abusing a corrupted system of taxation to the point of enslaving the rich to pay for the desires of the “less fortunate”, as if luck determines wealth, desires which have turned ugly and become demands.

So here we are, a nation in debt up to our hips with the discipline of a dog in heat wondering why our liberties and freedoms are in jeopardy.

Let me help you load that new double wide refrigerator, the one with built in ice maker, cold water tap in the front and never needs defrosting.  I’m sure the one that came with your new house a couple of years ago is totally used up.  Did you remember to check on the energy consumption rating; those kilowatt hours add up in a hurry.  Cap & Trade legislation is just around the corner and you’ll want to save every penny you can; I heard from those in the know, the cost of energy will triple or even quadruple in order to keep the EPA folks happy.

“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.” Thomas Jefferson

The Moral Lib­eral asso­ciate edi­tor, T.F. Stern, is a retired City of Hous­ton police offi­cer, self-employed lock­smith, and gifted polit­i­cal and social com­men­ta­tor. His pop­u­lar and insight­ful blog, T.F. Sterns Rant­i­ngs, has been up and at it since Jan­u­ary of 2005.