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Essays, Opinion, & Commentary |
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Something to Think About
by Gordon Francis Corbett
Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines "subornation" as, "The procuring (as by bribes or persuasion) of an improper or unlawful act." A current aphorism describes how a welfare state suborns its citizens: "A welfare state lets a government of the people, and for the people, buy the people." Last year, I saw a Canadian documentary about Newfoundland. It described the fifty years since Newfoundland (which they pronounce "newfundLAND") affiliated with Canada. Most tellingly, it reported that after Newfoundland's affiliation, the Canadian welfare state began paying them a direct subsidy for babies. That subsidy bought more than diapers and formula. It also bought the integrity of disgruntled Newfies. People who otherwise might have supported withdrawal from Canada, or who might have agitated for outright independence, limited themselves to complaining. So, the Newfies kept their subsidy, and Canada kept Newfoundland. Here, our government suborns our people with Social Security, with A.F.D.C., and with grants-in-aid that threaten to erase our state, county, and city borders. It suborns prominent businessmen with governmental contracts and with competitors' business secrets sieved from the ether by Echelon. And it cows those tempted by none of those "carrots" with "sticks" from the I.R.S. and other agencies. Any American citizen who decides that the Founding Fathers' philosophy is right must say, "no" to Washington. He must say, "no," to the welfare state that empties our wallets to buy votes. He must say, "no," to the warfare state that empties our wallets to buy boondoggles. And, he must say, "no," to political machines that can put a ham sandwich on the ballot and report a vote total electing it. Our American will pay for these "no's." He will suffer. Nevertheless, if we can persuade him to say them, those "no's" will redeem his freedom and strengthen our own.
Enrich your life with a book about politics and current events... Enrich your political & social life with a politics or news magazine... |
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Something to Think About Index |
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