Ok, so the conversation continues regarding values in public policies, and the real long term effects these have on people, and specifically on the underclass. If you haven't already, you may want to check out my first post, New Orleans a Model of Liberal Ideas Among Minorities, and my second post titled New Orleans a Model of Liberal Ideas Among Minorities, Part Two.
A reader over at Sigmund, Carl and Alfred seems to be confused, and has missed the point, though at the same time, I think he reinforced my point exactly--the government needs to stop trying to subsidize the underclass, and needs to allow the free market forces to supply the needs of society. Most importantly, government needs to start holding individuals accountable for their actions and lives. Yes, in that process, some will be poor, some will have a hard time in life, but most will work harder, and come out on top--if you don't mess around with government policies that play God. Read the discussion and comments here.
Ask any economist--quality will always suffer when you have rent or price controls. Controlling wages, rent, and subsidizing education will NEVER makes for better quality in any of these areas. It brings costs up, reduces motivation in the market, and creates shortages and miss-management of scarce resources. Economics 101. Not philosophy. Your heart is in the right place, but we are talking science now, now religion or philosophy. We create a welfare society, and a real bad one at that, but then again, no welfare society is a good society. Never. Thank God it's not as bad in the US as it is in say Cuba, or France, or closer to home--Canada.
Dingo also commented that a "fair and just legislative and judicial system are necessary for a well functioning society. If many will buy you the laws and verdicts, the poor man will always stay poor." I agree completely. But the key point in my argument is that our government system is one of the people and for the people. If a local government is corrupt, it is only because the local people are corrupt. Again, the corruption of the value system among a community spreads and infects even our governments.
Again, with the New Orleans Police department, allow me to ask this of you and all my readers? Where did these corrupt and criminally inclined "recruits" come from? Did they bring them in from red states? No! I would propose the corruption in the New Orleans police department is a result of individuals, recruited from within the community, who have been brought up in a value-less or value-lacking society used to hand outs, and brought up with an entitlement mentality that demands the government solve their problems and pay for their hardships. Additionally, poor value training at the local police academy would be a serious problem--what are the values the instructors are passing on? I don't know and I am not accusing them, but the root of the problem lies within the community itself.
Listen to Jessie Jackson and Rev. Sharpton and tell me what is it that they want? What is it that they ask for? Do these two individuals properly represent what is best and desirable for the future of the African American community? I have to ask, will the dreams and goals of Jessie Jackson and Rev. Sharpton bring prosperity, success, and economic up-mobility to the African American community? I highly doubt it. Unfortunately, with groups like La Raza and other's driven by liberal political and social ideologies, the Latino community is very much at-risk of taking the same path.
Unfortunately, as I wrote before, the right can probably be accused of playing the same game. The issue here is not politics, but values and the policies that push these values on the poor unsuspecting underclass. Ideas have consequences, and when government officials make policy out of their own ideologies and values, there are real consequences to real people--today, and for years to come.
To minorities out there, think twice of who you elect. You could elect a politician that may make life easier for you on the short run, and corrupt your values and those of society in general at the long run.
Tags: Poverty, Katrina, New Orleans, flood aid, hurricane, hurricane-katrina, Politics, Economics.
A reader over at Sigmund, Carl and Alfred seems to be confused, and has missed the point, though at the same time, I think he reinforced my point exactly--the government needs to stop trying to subsidize the underclass, and needs to allow the free market forces to supply the needs of society. Most importantly, government needs to start holding individuals accountable for their actions and lives. Yes, in that process, some will be poor, some will have a hard time in life, but most will work harder, and come out on top--if you don't mess around with government policies that play God. Read the discussion and comments here.
Dependant on government? Are you kidding me. What part of government were these people dependant on. The $2.50 an hour that government allows for the minimum wage in the service industry? The far below standard housing that the government that they let landlords get away with? Were they reliant on the most corrupt police force in the nation? Were they reliant on the grossly substandard public education system? How about the state legislature in the back pocket of business? The most expensive and complicated court system in the country?Dingo, I would encourage you to study-up on the basic principles of economics. The problems come when the government pretends and promises to be able to do, what it just cannot do with efficiency or excellence. The results may look good on an annual report, but its the people that are hurt. So, you are right. The government IS doing a LOUSY job at education, wage subsidy (that is what minimum wage is...price controls), and rent price controls. It is BECAUSE the government is messing with these services and with the free market, that the quality has fallen below sub-standards.
Every aspect of government that is meant to elevate these people was lacking. To say they were reliant on government is absurd other than to say, government kept them alive.
Ask any economist--quality will always suffer when you have rent or price controls. Controlling wages, rent, and subsidizing education will NEVER makes for better quality in any of these areas. It brings costs up, reduces motivation in the market, and creates shortages and miss-management of scarce resources. Economics 101. Not philosophy. Your heart is in the right place, but we are talking science now, now religion or philosophy. We create a welfare society, and a real bad one at that, but then again, no welfare society is a good society. Never. Thank God it's not as bad in the US as it is in say Cuba, or France, or closer to home--Canada.
Dingo also commented that a "fair and just legislative and judicial system are necessary for a well functioning society. If many will buy you the laws and verdicts, the poor man will always stay poor." I agree completely. But the key point in my argument is that our government system is one of the people and for the people. If a local government is corrupt, it is only because the local people are corrupt. Again, the corruption of the value system among a community spreads and infects even our governments.
Again, with the New Orleans Police department, allow me to ask this of you and all my readers? Where did these corrupt and criminally inclined "recruits" come from? Did they bring them in from red states? No! I would propose the corruption in the New Orleans police department is a result of individuals, recruited from within the community, who have been brought up in a value-less or value-lacking society used to hand outs, and brought up with an entitlement mentality that demands the government solve their problems and pay for their hardships. Additionally, poor value training at the local police academy would be a serious problem--what are the values the instructors are passing on? I don't know and I am not accusing them, but the root of the problem lies within the community itself.
Listen to Jessie Jackson and Rev. Sharpton and tell me what is it that they want? What is it that they ask for? Do these two individuals properly represent what is best and desirable for the future of the African American community? I have to ask, will the dreams and goals of Jessie Jackson and Rev. Sharpton bring prosperity, success, and economic up-mobility to the African American community? I highly doubt it. Unfortunately, with groups like La Raza and other's driven by liberal political and social ideologies, the Latino community is very much at-risk of taking the same path.
Unfortunately, as I wrote before, the right can probably be accused of playing the same game. The issue here is not politics, but values and the policies that push these values on the poor unsuspecting underclass. Ideas have consequences, and when government officials make policy out of their own ideologies and values, there are real consequences to real people--today, and for years to come.
To minorities out there, think twice of who you elect. You could elect a politician that may make life easier for you on the short run, and corrupt your values and those of society in general at the long run.
Tags: Poverty, Katrina, New Orleans, flood aid, hurricane, hurricane-katrina, Politics, Economics.
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