Letter: Citizens say, ‘Cut yours, not mine’

TO THE EDITOR: In 2010 a poll was taken by “The Economist” that asked Americans what area of spending they would be willing to cut. Foreign aid was the most popular and the only majority choice (71%). Unfortunately, foreign aid is only 1% of the budget.

Here is how the other areas of spending were supported for cuts: Social Security (7% of Americans would cut), national defense (22%), Medicare (7%), aid to the poor (17%), Medicaid (11%), veterans’ benefits (6%), health research (13%), education (12%), highways (12%), mass transit (27%), unemployment benefits (19%), science and technology (22%), agriculture (27%), housing (27%) and the environment (29%). The unspoken statement is “Cut yours, not mine.

You can see that attitude on display here in Wisconsin. The states are bankrupt, yet those in public unions are saying, “Cut others, tax others, but don’t expect me to sacrifice.” They force the state and their neighbors deeper into debt with their temper-tantrum recall elections.

Government officials won’t admit it, union leaders won’t admit it, and union workers don’t see it, but the fact is, public unions are unsustainable and need to be privatized.

The sooner we accept that fact of our past sins, the quicker we can start the decentralization of Leviathan needed to restore the republic and reclaim liberty. If not now, when? If not us, who? Those questions will be forced upon our children and grandchildren if we shirk our responsibility to display responsible character.

If you invested $10,000 in the stock market on a “sure thing,” yet lost it all, would you expect your children and grandchildren to pay you back?

You thought phrases like “trust fund” really meant what they said. You thought the government was trustworthy. You accepted their lies as the “sure thing.” Everyone got burned by that bad investment.

Tags: maiden rock, opinion, letters, politics