Lazarus Austin is a junior majoring in history. He can be contacted at [email protected]. Today, subsidies and earmarks are handed out like candy. The federal government spent nearly $20 billion on earmarks alone last year. If a problem arises, politicians like to throw money at it. When a benevolent idea gets proposed, why not fund it? Why not spend a little money here and there to support some useful project?
For example, what could possibly be wrong with a nationwide AMBER alert system for missing kids or giving Pope John Paul II, Rosa Parks and Mother Teresa the Medal of Honor? These are only two examples of pieces of legislation that have passed through Congress. Texas congressman Ron Paul, who has earned the nickname “Dr. No,” has often been criticized for voting against such legislation as these. One may ask, What could somebody possibly have against the AMBER alert system?
To all those who liberally spend earmarks and sponsor subsidies, I ask, “Why not provide every child on Earth with three meals a day and clean water? Why not give all poor people enough money so they can live a comfortable middle class life? Why not pay for everybody’s health care (oh yeah, they already want to do that)? What could they possibly have against these things?” The problem is money. We can’t pay for every little project that we come across. For one, it is not the government’s job.
For example, it cost the taxpayers $40,000 to mold a Medal of Honor. That’s money down the drain. A nationwide AMBER alert system would require more money and so would every other benevolent project that comes up.
It is only one example of how fiscal liberals, Democrats and Republicans alike, flagrantly disregard the taxpayers. It is much easier to pay for something with somebody else’s money.
The United States currently has almost $8 trillion in national debt. The reasons why are, in large part, fiscal mismanagement and overspending. Every time an industry is ailing, we pick them back up with subsidies. Companies no longer have to be responsible for their own actions. In our current state, we might as well call ourselves a socialist country.
Basically, the United States is spending itself into oblivion. David Walker, former head of the Government Accountability Office, compared us to the Roman Empire in its decline. The two Democratic presidential candidates want to further exacerbate our problems by implementing universal health care and offering all sorts of entitlements and benefits. McCain, on the other hand, despite the fact he wants to continue with our expensive military entanglements, has repeatedly said he will cut spending and veto practically all earmarked legislation that crosses his desk.
Big government subsidization of large corporations does nothing but stall the inevitable and simultaneously favors the rich. The solution to the problem is to leave the economy alone and let the free market run itself. Unless we do something to fix the economic status of our country, I am pessimistic about our future. Many people’s first priority right now is national defense. As a result, they vote accordingly. However, what is the point in defending a country to the point that its future is sacrificed? We have to defend against ourselves first.