Realizing the Economic Cost of Losing Common Thought

Many can recall a time in the United States when an American could count on his fellow citizen to look out for what was right. Americans left their doors open, shared, belonged to a neighborhood and looked after one another's children. Americans went to Church and bought war bonds. For simplicity sake, Americans took responsibility for themselves, their family and their community. They acted in a manner that was not only beneficial individually, but also for the benefit of the common good of each other and the Nation as a whole. There was a definition of what it meant to be American.

Environmentalists argue that a Nation must force a company that pollutes to pay for its down stream effects, or the costs bore by the population in dealing with such pollution. While I can't say that I agree completely with this theory when we are discussing environmental issues, it is an interesting framework when conceptualizing our short falls as a Nation.

While I believe Americans, whether Democrat, Republican or Independent legitimately would prefer less government, they believe, albeit in different respects, government is necessary to fill the gaps. Government has grown progressively under every party's government over the last thirty years, yet our problems seem to be greater than ever. Why?

I would suggest it is our failure to take responsibility as a whole that has created the shortfall. Our decision to legislate the problems away have created resentment and hostility towards such legislation. As the intervening third party, the government, becomes the arbitrator and enforcer of disputes. It is this third party validation or disapproval that creates entitlement and angst among Americans who feel like "right" is being jammed upon them. That said, the argument for whether government should enforce these social shortfalls is not productive in addressing the true issue, which is of substance over procedure.

When Americans fail to buy American they harm Americans by undermining the working class of America. When Americans cannot sustain meaningful work because they compete with currency manipulated government subsidized slave labor from abroad. Two incomes become necessary to manage an American household. With no parent at home, schools are burdened with the costs of teaching children how to be adults as well as math and science. The cost of education increases because schools are dealing with under prepared children who need to be taught things that are not meant to be taught on the tax payers dime. Taxes get raised to subsidize the lack of parenting, and families get squeezed even further creating resent. That resent is communicated to the children in the form of teaching them to be tough and to look out for themselves least they be left in the situation of their parents. The children serve no master, but themselves, and are without a sense of right and wrong. Church is cast aside, and the race to compete for the now creates an aggressive environment where fellow countrymen are willing to tear each other limb from limb to pacify their desires for earthly pleasures. What can you make of this rant?

Action of pure self interest without consideration for its "down stream effect" shall carry certain unintended consequences over time. While I am not suggesting that Americans legislate the International 4-Point Test of Rotarians; and in fact, I suggest legislation shall not solve a bit of these ills, I will say that failure to change our actions shall invariably lead to greater social costs and greater regulation. Not allowed to censure the profane, no prayer in school, uninterested in a solution for the sick and the meek, not willing to tithe 10% of one's income, disallowing a neighbor to discipline one's children, no greater sense of right and wrong, forging income on a home loan, selling irresponsibly, buying irresponsibly and forgetting that Americans are responsible to maintain the health of our whole economy are just a few of the items on the table in this discussion.

Serving the dollar as thy master without consequence ensures that no individual shall enjoy financial security in the long run. Similar to the old adage, "live by the sword, die by the sword," live selfishly and thy shall receive the same in kind. There is plenty of room for profit, morality, patriotism and an obligation to act in a manner which is best for all involved. The cry that these concepts are mutually exclusive is lazy, and the underlying belief that "right" depends on one's perspective is untrue and sarcastic.

In closing, saving $2 on a tee shirt or $45 on a laptop through the purchasing of imports is not worth creating an economy where no one has enough money to purchase anything from you in return. The downstream effects of acting without consideration is the desecration of a community. Just as one can shear the wool from a sheep for his or her lifetime, he or she can only kill it once. Be good to Americans, so they can be good to you- Lord knows you shouldn't need the government to tell you to provide for one another.