POLITICS AND RELIGION: PART ONE

If there is one thing that is quite obvious about human nature, it is that every man has an opinion. I have no problem with those whose opinions differ from mine, as long as they are expressed in a civilized manner. I do object to those who freely express their views, while attempting to silence the opposition. The two main areas in which the "silencers" are most often found are in the areas of politics and religion. The problem is so wide spread that many want nothing to do with discussing either. Unfortunately for me, those are my two favorite subjects. Maybe that is why I get invited to so few functions.

My political views are very simple. I believe government should defend our nation from enemies foreign and domestic, should maintain social order, and take care of the infrastructure. I do not believe it should educate, feed, house, subsidize, or interfere in any other way with the free market economy. Nor do I believe it should interfere in the governments of other nations, neither by threat nor by bribe.

It is clear that our educational system turns out students who are undereducated, improperly educated, and even brain-washed. Our kids cannot compete in the areas of Math and Science with other students. It presents bias material in History and in the social sciences. It brain-washes kids into believing that Man evolved from "lower animals," thereby teaching that the Bible is mythological, superstitious, and an ignorantly contrived tool to control people. I would like to see the government either stop collecting taxes for education, or for it to provide vouchers so that people could send their children to the school of their choice. That would make schools compete for students, and therefore strive for excellence in educating them.

Our welfare system creates dependents, rather than helping people be independent. Why work when Uncle will provide you with food, housing, and medical treatment? The welfare mentality carries over into a "big brother" relationship with business, as well. Rather than have companies become successful or fail, it props up companies that make inferior products and have poor marketing skills. In doing so, it makes the companies which are turning out good products charge more because they do not receive subsidies. They, in turn, become unable to compete, and thereby require governmental help. Eventually, government will control production, sales, and prices, and we end up with socialism. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, the depression and World War II, resulted in great unemployment, resulting in big government becoming the sole provider for millions. And, the more people who depend upon government to provide the necessities of life, the more power the politicians have to control us. Unfortunately, government cannot stop providing, now that so many are dependent upon it. It isn't a slippery slop; it is more like a pit out of which people cannot climb.