February 9, 2009 at 7:39 am
· Filed under Ecomonic Issues
As I ponder the problems our federal government is having with efforts to “stimulate” the economy, I am beginning to believe that attitudes have changed on several key political points. One of those is attitude towards welfare.
For many years I have heard politicians and many citizens condemn people that accept public welfare. We were told that these people are lazy, “deadbeats”, and are undesirable people. Being on welfare was viewed as an unacceptable state, something of which to be ashamed.
Then there are the moral judgements I frequently hear. How are these folks on welfare going to learn if we bail them out? They must pull themselves out of their situation and earn their place in society.
How times have changed. Suddenly wealthy people are coming to the government for “bailouts”. I see little difference between a company asking the government for financial support and a citizen asking that same government for aid. One difference I have noticed is that while disadvantaged people on welfare spend the money they are given, the companies on welfare do not.
So, do these wealthy CEOs who come to Congress pleading for help for their companies, then pocket large portions of the “bailout” through “bonuses”, feel ashamed? Those CEOs who invest taxpayer’s money in purchasing other companies, benefitting themselves, are “deadbeats? Those CEOs that do not spend the gift to improve the economy, are unacceptable?
Do we apply the same moral judgements on these CEOs? How are these folks going to learn if we bail them out? They must pull themselves out of their situation and earn their place in society. Why not apply the same standards? Through greed these CEOs drove their companies into failure.
I have said it before, do not provide funds for CEOs that drove their companies into failure. How can we expect their behavior to change? Instead, give the money to “lower class” people as they will most certainly spend it. The idea is to stimulate the economy , not line the pockets of already overpaid business executives.
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Larry said,
February 12, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
There are two different standards in the U.S. . . . one for wealthy white men and the other for everyone else. Even in the days when ADC was common and this welfare for the poor and distressed was roundly condemned, the wealthy lined up for their share of government entitlements. They got this welfare by calling it something else — and I guess they still do.
Dave said,
February 14, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
So, Larry, you are saying that the rich are traditionally on the “dole”. That is well said. Maybe the wealthy condemn the poor being on welfare because it means less for them?