RE:RE:RE:RE:US Economy Still Red HotCarbide,
I never believed society owed me anything, and I never begrudged the success of others. Our civilization, Western democratic civilization, can never survive, if citizens refuse to take responsibility for their own success or failure. The Russians and Chinese will eat us for breakfast. We’re competing against other civilizations, and if we can’t cut it, we’ll get tossed unceremoniously into the dustbin of history, like so many others that preceded us. Immigrants have come to this country with nothing; little money, no education, they didn’t speak the language, yet they still made it. Or their children did. Precisely because they took responsibility for their lives, rolled up their sleeves, and worked long and hard. My own opinion is that it is the role of government to create the necessary conditions for success. But it’s up to us as individuals to take advantage of opportunity. The government isn’t there to care for you like a child. Civilizations such as the Chinese already know this. Despite all our wealth and advantages, they have something many of us in the West lack - a single minded determination to succeed. For them, there is no such thing as entitlements. You’re only entitled to what you earn.