At
Powerline, a refreshing look at when the concept of personal responsibility is allowed to intrude on policy discussions, and when it can be dismissed as cruel.
In the case of “Detroit,” we must decide how far to go in order to improve, in the short term, the material condition of the population. How much should we spend on welfare? How lenient should we be with criminals? Should there be monetary reparations? Should there be forced integration?
In the case of rural America, the policy questions prompted by Carlson are different. How much trade protection should certain American industries receive? To what extent should we limit legal immigration?
The answer in both cases depends in part on how much weight we place on the concept of personal responsibility. Those who take the concept seriously will be less inclined to transfer vast amounts of money, or to tolerate high risk associated with the early release of criminals, than those who don’t.
They will also be less inclined to think Americans should pay more for consumer goods as a result of trade barriers and restrictions on the number of people who can work in the U.S. They may ask how much more they should pay for cars because males in rural America are making irresponsible personal choices.
The best answer might well be “somewhat more.” Even for conservatives, the concept of personal responsibility isn’t absolute. We are willing to spend a considerable amount of money on welfare even though we know that if recipients made better choices, we would be able to spend considerably less.
Even for conservatives, the concept of personal responsibility isn’t absolute. We are willing to spend a considerable amount of money on welfare even though we know that if recipients made better choices, we would be able to spend considerably less.
ReplyDeleteTo take this bit in particular, it depends on the purpose of the welfare. I'm willing to spend quite a bit on a hand up, but I'm unwilling to spend much on a handout, with a single caveat on handouts. There are some who are truly incapable; those need handouts; hand ups will be wasted; there is no "up" for them.
Of course, with that last, discriminating the unable from the too lazy isn't always straightforward.
Eric Hines
Interesting this comes up. I have been formulating a post for three days but have been able to bring clarity to it. Perhaps this will help. I agree with your sentiments.
ReplyDeleteThe comments at Powerline were a little discouraging.
ReplyDeleteTime to go back to military fiefdoms. Would work better.
ReplyDeleteThe comments at Powerline are enlightening. Some people actually dare to write and think such things, when they would not have in 2007.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the reason why people are fated to die and suffer on this Earth is not due to their personal responsibility. That's like thinking it is the personal responsibility of slaves that they are slaves and meant for working in the fields. Actually, the real reason why they are slaves is because their necks are being stepped on by the Southern slave masters, ok.
See, there's two ways to looking at the same coin. One side, the Master side, says it is the duty of the strong to look out for the inferior races like the blacks, and that it is the responsibility of the black races that they are inferior. From the Northern abolitionist point of view, the reason why black races are inferior is because the State has destroyed the spirit and soul of Christ in a human. Abolitionists can recognize the difference in wealth and class between races, while at the same time believing that people are born under Christ their god as equals. Once someone falls into the other side and believes people are born under Christ to serve as slaves to other superior beings under Christ, then it is game over. No way back from that religion. The religion becomes a cult that justifies itself.
People's choices are constrained by the system. They don't know what they are or why they are here. Spiritually, they are dead. Powerline, as usual, cannot face the spiritual problem... they can only talk about materialism and wealth, as if that can fix a spiritual deadening.
If that is true, then why do Hollywood actors who get richer and richer, like Gibson, begin trying to self destruct themselves trying to find themselves in decadence but realizing it means nothing, and then later joining a religion.
The South has a serious spiritual problem, not just in the urban centers but the rural ones as well. This can be ignored for decades due to generous physical benefits of materialistic welfare and good living. See, America won't fall.... why? Because we are living the good life and our wages increase, so we can pay more taxes.... yea, and Venezuela and Cuba and Iran didn't have a good life before The Revolution?
Many of the souls that incarnated in the Southern USA culture, have lost sight of what they descended here to do. That is why they are unhappy. The healers, technicians, technical support, logistics, for the second, tertiary, and future Waves are instead working 9 to 5 jobs at a factory, paying taxes to the government, so that they can have more debt to pay the bank on so that they can get more wages from the government.
ReplyDeleteThe vanguard waves landed decades ago. The vast bulk of the fleet is still landing (and getting spawn camped too).
If they would figure out what they actually were put here to do on this Earth... they would be a lot more fulfilled and happy. And no, many of them weren't here to get married, have kids, and get a higher wage job. But to serve and to retain certain technical skills that would aid future incarnations and waves that would have to descend to this Earth and deal with the various problems... like the Deep State.
Instead of working for the police suppressing conservative rallies, they should have been training for the APocalypse as survivalists, militias, soldiers of faith, warriors obedient to no Authority on Earth, or merely as vigilantes ready to chase down child pedos in Hollywood and DC.
All their career and design specifications have been given to them but they have forgotten how to access their profiles in the heavens. What a cluster FUBAR.
This case of massive team forgetfulness of their login details... horrifying in how inefficient it makes the operation.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately or not, the only way to descend from a higher world to this lower world of Midgard or maybe the lowest world before Hades, is to drink the waters of forgetfulness and die the First Death.
A lot of these new generation "youths" are hooked on mmos because they seem to think the mmos are the mission as it duplicates several mechanics that seem quite familiar.