REINFORCING DEPENDENCE

There are some things in life that are what R.J. Rushdoony called inescapable concepts. One of those inescapable concepts is welfare. It is never a question of welfare, no welfare but who pays for welfare. Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines welfare as, "Exemption from misfortune, sickness, calamity, or evil: the enjoyment of health and the common blessings of life; prosperity; happiness." Welfare is a state of being that has its roots in economics.

Dependence is also an inescapable concept. It depends upon whom we want to be dependent upon. There are only two options. One is being dependent upon God and this is called providence and the other is being dependent upon the government. In modern vernacular, being dependent upon the government is called welfare. The government desires control over the citizenry. The way that this is done is twofold. The government has the power of coercion, so it extracts wealth from the productive citizens and gives this wealth to the unproductive. The unproductive in turn vote for those who will give them the most goodies. The unproductive outnumber the productive, so the productive are at a decided disadvantage.

A recent AP story is headlined as "In Philly schools, most students get a free lunch." When I was in college, an economics professor came to the first class with a sign that said that there was no such thing as a free lunch. The headline of this article should read, "In Philly schools, most students get a coercively based free lunch," or "In Philly schools, most students get a taxpayer funded free lunch." We know the media will never be accurate in their reporting and present both sides of the story. This is because the media’s thinking is based solely on effects. They do not understand the law of cause and effect.

Those in the Philly school system do not consider the consequences of giving most students free lunch. This has the opposite effect that is intended. It will never make these students independent and able to take care of themselves when they grow up. Instead, these free lunches will have the effect of making these students dependent upon the government. This is what the government really intends. The last thing that the government wants is a free and independent people. They cannot control that type of citizenry.

Those on assistance or welfare should feel stigmatized but when they are given these free lunches they will feel that they are entitled to them. Janet Hernandez was interviewed for this article. Hernandez said "Sometimes we need that extra little help as far as food goes." Sure she wants free lunches for her children. What parent would like not to have to pay for their children’s food? One thing that those who accept these welfare payments lack and this is the most important thing is, self respect.

Only those who are independent of the government but dependent upon providence have something that no amount of free lunches can supply, self respect. The independent get what they have by achievement and this makes them feel good about themselves. Those who have the entitlement mentality have no self respect and also have no sense of achievement. They are given things without earning them. They cannot and do not feel good about themselves.