Who’s money is it?

To date I’ve refrained from talking about politics on my blog but I see so much liberal nonsense on the news that I felt like I had to say something.  I have several topics in my head that I would like to speak on but I’ll start with this one.

I have 4 kids and I’ve tried to raise them with good old-fashioned family values.  Be true to your word, stand on your own two feet, and worship your God. Still I’ve heard my kids talk about the ‘government’s money’.  Recently we were talking about some project that Washington was thinking about funding (don’t remember which one) and one of my kids said that she thought the government should pay for it.  So as President Obama would say, I used that moment as a teaching moment.

I asked my daughter if she wanted to pay for it or if she wanted me to pay for it.  She said of course not, she wanted the government to pay for it.  I explained to her that the government has no money.  All of the money the government spends comes from the citizens through some form of taxes. 

Of course some items are necessary.  We need interstate roads, military defense, and international trade just to name a few.  On the local level I certainly want the police, fire department, or EMTs to show up when I call 911.  There are very legitimate uses of our money.  But I explained to my daughter that the next time you hear of the government wanting to spend money, just ask yourself if you would want to chip in and  help pay for that.  If not, then the government shouldn’t be doing it either.

And this is what the liberals in this country just can’t grasp.  I was watching a recent episode of The Daily Show that had Bill Kristol on as a guest.  Near the end, Jon was very smugly asserting that since the US can run a quality healthcare system (the VA) then every citizen deserves the same.  What he, of course, will not talk about is how that is paid for.  Of course our government _could_ provide world class healthcare for everyone.  Heck, it could do it completely free of charge.  Just walk in to the doctor’s office, flash your medical card, and get what you need.  But who pays for that?  As we just learned the government has no money.  So who pays for it?  Your neighbors pay for it.   Your neighbors pay for it through increased taxes.

And that, my friends, is why we are all cowards.  More on that tomorrow…