Congress Unintentionally Cuts Funding for Social Programs

When I initially saw the twitter post from Al Jazeera on this topic (Click here for the original article), I have to admit that I was guilty of being slightly positive about the situation. Now before you get excited and start calling me names, let me explain myself.

I see a horrible trend in our country, which I notice only because I have children. People are getting lazy and people are losing their pride. Scratch that - they are giving it away freely. In the time of my parents and especially my grandparents, a person took pride in their job and their family because their efforts defined them. Even the uneducated could invest their time and their future in a trade, and they were determined to be the best (plumber, butcher, stonemason, steelworker) there was.

Now things are different. The trades are almost completely gone and there are not as many good "Plan B's" for those who chose not to work hard in school. Instead of taking a job that they may not have fantasized about when they were in elementary school, they fall into the ease and pseudo-comfort that can be found in the social support system.

I'm not trying to point any fingers here, but I can say with confidence that this trend has bothered me. For that reason, I have made it my life's goal to raise my children in a way that they should never have to resort to those measures.

NOTE: I am not bashing the social programs in any way. When used for their temporary purpose, they have helped many hardworking people through tough times. I am however, bashing the culture that those same programs have seemed to produce (both intentionally and unintentionally).

Now back to the main topic of this submission - due to sequestration, it seems that some social programs are taking a hit. As stated earlier, I am guilty in that I saw this as a step forward until I actually read the news article. After reading it however, I felt like a bag of pig manure. Instead of getting rid of programs for those that don't really need them, the cuts actually effected everyone from handicapped people on unemployment, Meals-on-Wheels programs for feeding disabled and impoverished seniors, and even public preschool programs like More-at-Four and Head Start.

Needless to say, this was not the anticipated story that first popped into my head. It actually opened my eyes a bit, since I have been directing most of my thoughts on this topic toward the negative. Now for the kicker: All this budget cutting, laying off, and belt-tightening has not helped our economy. In fact, it seems the initiative has done quite the opposite and might have even stretched it's skinny arms around Europe's wallet as well.

If you know anything else about this story or have something to add, please leave a comment. I want to know your first impressions, feelings, thoughts, or what you ate for dinner last night. Thanks for taking the time.

-BCS