Tolerance is one of those words that has become so embossed with all sorts of tentative notions. Tolerance for errors in judgment, tolerance for errors of omission, tolerance for acts of commission and tolerance, well, for being tolerant. What a supremely debilitating notion this word has become. Are you growing weary and intolerant of tolerance? Frankly, I’m well past the query stage.
In a recent article on the subject of the Middle-East I composed a phrase to convey a sentiment; in fact, I composed two specific phrases to convey the very same sentiment approaching the ambition from two distinctly different philosophical perspectives. I think it appropriate that I should reintroduce the first of the two here, the other in short order:
“Democracy is not just defined by the freedom to choose, it is more so the process of keeping Government from being used to define what becomes of choice!”
As my intolerance for the abuse of power and the inebriation of incompetence grows I find that simply talking about the dollar values of budgets and entitlements, a few hundred billion here or a few trillion there, simply doesn’t quite register with most people; it seems to posses a numbing effect. In fact, during a recent radio visit with Steve Cordasco of IQ Radio I deliberately tossed out a flood of financial data and he was quick to say “…wait, Curtis, let’s dumb it down, this is not the Wall Street Journal crowd your talking too….” He was right and the point, as I expected that it would, was well proven. It is for this and perhaps a few other reasons that relying on the media as an integrity-based resource for faithful data mining is at best, its own perverse form of tolerance. Yes, as in the case with government, we tolerate the fact that they are both reliably unreliable and completely incompetent.
However, the good news is that I think I’ve stumbled on a really effective approach and it may best be expressed in this way: Some questions are best answered with a why!
For example:
- Why would the current Administration, clearly aware of the massive government debt, actually submit a budget proposal that not only doesn’t address the debt-crisis, but actually increases government debt-load? Did you know that since the mid-1800’s, the U.S. Government has never failed to spend in excess of its stated and approved budget?
- Why would government, already admitting that entitlements compose nearly 60% of the Federal Budget, believe that they can actually defy the Public’s understanding that sooner or later, regardless of your party affiliation, someone is going to have to admit to what everyone else already knows? Government is out of control!
- Why do States, 32 out 50 of which already acknowledge they are broke, refuse to confront the single greatest financial and political burden that is common to each? I’m speaking of the obscene overburden and influence of Unions who, being incomprehensible to me, have never been prosecuted under any of the available RICO Statutes and in every instance were they are dominant have a degrading effect on every sector they have penetrated.
- Why, when the effective unemployment rate nationwide is approaching 27.3%, does government do nothing to facilitate an environment or functional promotion of private-sector job creation? Seriously, does anyone truly believe that spending $1.4 Trillion on so-called Stimulus programs was actually going to be productive? Remember now, in order for it to have reached a break-even point any output would have had to generate $1.4 Trillion in Tax Revenues. I’ll save your curiosity; the net increase in tax revenues to the Federal and State Governments has actually plunged not to mention that the average job created by this exercise- in-futility actually cost the taxpayer approximately $148,000 per job created. This is clearly no endorsement of the government’s efforts. It is however a fabulous exhibition of complete incompetence.
- Why, when clearly the growth of China has been both fueled and funded by American imports of Chinese manufactured products, has no one connected-the-dots in a way to consider that instead of funding Chinese economic ascension and development that the same dollars should have been invested in the U.S. to rehabilitate our technological and industrial wealth creating base?
- Why, when it has been proven there is a direct connection between the productivity and health of the Productive Class ( a.k.a., the Middle Class) and the over-bite of Federal and State tax burden, do both of the tax-bullies continue to threaten increases in taxes while ignoring their culpability in destroying a once vibrant national economy?
- Why, with a nation already suffocating in debt, government uncontrolled, wasteful and graft-laden spending practices and mismanagement, 59% public rejection ratings and not to mention a Florida Supreme Court ruling that declares it Un-Constitutional yet none are willing to hold the Fed’s in “contempt” for ignoring said court decision, does the Federal Government insist on stuffing Obamacare down the throats of an increasingly distempered People?
- Why, when we speak of being a freedom loving people and express that we are a Nation of Laws and Law Abiding Citizenry, is there such utter and complete lawlessness at all levels of government and indifference to the concepts of justice? And lastly, at least for now,
- Why, when there is such a vacuum of self-less leadership is there none willing to stand for the principals implicit in and native to our own Declaration of Independence?
Now then, let me offer the second of the two excerpts from a previous article:
“Whether it be the Federal Budget or State Budgets two undeniable facts remain: The Cost of Politicians using Taxpayer Funds to Buy votes have Bankrupted the Nation and for the moment, 32 of 50 States. And, you can’t fix a System that prefers to remain broken and you can’t save a Nation that tolerates a Broken System!”
Yes in deed, there are as many different plausible responses to each of these questions though there is one component that is common to all: Tolerance. When government moves beyond deference to the Will of the People it also acquires tolerance for its own abuses and seeks a near infinite menagerie of self-indulgent explanations for why it either can or why it must. Regardless of whether one agrees with my singular explanation or not the fact as to the consequences are unmistakable and unavoidable.
How much, truly, how much more tolerant are we willing to be?
As I’ve suggested, some questions are best Answer with a Why!
“Man must be Free for Independence to be at Liberty to be expressed!”
Curtis C. Greco, Founder
