By Robert Warren
I think it started a couple of years ago but, blame me; I was too busy to notice. Then with a clap of thunder and a resounding “What the heck?” I was transported into Bizarro World. But let me step back for a minute. I grew up poor, but not impoverished. I worked my way through an education, got a job, got married and started a family, went into business and am now retired. Little did I know that this standard for American success was going to be undone and even considered an injustice.
In Bizarro World, those who save for their retirement are “hoarders”. If you aren’t out there spending and consuming then you are greedy. Even stranger, if you earn a living through work then you are a thief. Although what you have stolen is difficult to explain, and I am not competent to do so. Best consult an economist.
Decades ago, I started and grew a small business in my spare time. It helped me buy a house and then educate my kids. I thought I had built a business and added my contribution to the American Dream. But, silly me, I am now told I didn’t “build that business”. I kind of scratch my head on that one but since I am now retired I have just become a simple “hoarder”.
As we all know now, the wealthy are the scum of the earth. The investments they made and the people they employed were part of some heartless scheme to suppress the middle class. This is confusing because the middle class works and, therefore, steals so there is justice in here somewhere. Oh, all the charitable giving of the wealthy has some type of ulterior and nefarious motive, that is one of the givens.
The government is never greedy. That is the law, and even to suggest the opposite is grounds for some type of condemnation or worse. Since I cannot oppose the government’s greed, allow me to quote from a comment I made before Bizarro World appeared. “Government will beg, borrow and steal every dollar it wants through taxes, fees and political corruption. To expect fiscal integrity in government is unrealistic and actually impossible.” I have had to apologize numerous times for this comment and do so here again.
I have a great deal of sympathy for the poor as my family was part of that crowd – I ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on Wonder white bread every day for lunch for a decade. You don’t forget that kind of thing, and today I can’t look at a PB&J sandwich without getting nauseous.
As of the latest count, there are well over 100,000,000 Americans who are somehow poor. Talk about fortunate, they now have all kinds of programs to make them comfortable. Why they don’t even have to work unless they want to, and many don’t want to. However, I will never understand why perfectly healthy men and women are content to sit around. Why would you trade you life, liberty and vote for a government handout? There I go again, criticizing the government without thinking. Will probably get another e-mail condemnation or possibly a fine.
President Obama is a powerful advocate for Bizarro World. It is natural for him to take from those who produce and give to those who don’t. The government, like Robin Hood, has to correct injustice – except Robin Hood took from the government to do so. Sorry about that, I used the wrong analogy.
Obama clearly knows that America must be transformed, and he has worked diligently to do so. Hoarding, thieving, building without permission, and investing without approval is just plain greedy. It is notable that Senator Warner is a champion of the Obama doctrine. Although Warner actually did “build that business”, he now votes lock step with the President to get excesses of freedom under control. Warner has worked constantly and diligently to pay for his sins.
One final thought. The Old World founders of America warned about the potential for abusive politics to impact elected office. They said that a moral people would elect moral leaders and the country would prosper. I’ll have to think about that!
Dr. Robert A. Warren is the founder and past president of the Colonial Area Republican Men’s Association (CARMA). The group’s blog can be found here.
