Americans are Addicted to Government; Can We be Saved from Ourselves Despite the Pain?
These days leading a state in America is very much the same as leading a person off drugs.
Americans have become addicted to government and we do not like pain.
The first requirement for overcoming addiction is a willing patient. If our state and country are to be saved there must be enough of us who have the courage to admit we are addicted and that we are willing to accept the painful treatment.
Given this prolonged economic downturn one would think Idahoans are ready for help.
Again this week, Senator Tom Colburn from Oklahoma, said in an interview by Fox News that if within four years Americans do not break their addiction to government, states will become bankrupt and the middle class will disappear. He said those who will suffer most will be the poor.
Treatment for drug addiction is detoxification, recovery and learning to live life differently, never going back to the life one once knew. Learning to live without drugs is a lifelong endeavor. And although there is hope, accomplishment and celebrationalong the way, each stage is painful. So much so, that few actually complete.
Counselors tell us that in order for one to recover from the stranglehold of drug addiction the pain of the addiction must become more severe than the pain of recovery.
The decisions waiting Idaho legislators in the 2011 session are going to cause us, as a state and as individuals much pain. As a state we are facing a 400 million dollar shortfall and we are bracing for an aggressive progressive agenda that will again seek to take us away from our tried and proven American values.
Will those we have elected have the courage to face the pain that will be inflicted on them beginning January 10th? You know what they say about being a politician in this environment. It’s like being a Jack-Ass in a hail storm; all you can do is stand there and take it.
Will those of us who get it stand with these men and women when the hail storm begins? And be sure, the hail will fall! We are their cover. I am going to be in Boise encouraging our leaders to stand tall and do what is right. I will be sending out Updates and Action Alerts. It is possible we will need you all to come from across the state to literally stand with our state leaders.
Folks, it is time to come clean; as a state, we are addicted to government. This addiction is killing us. Now is not the time for more spending of what we do not have, nor is it time for more bending, compromising our values.
Will our state leaders stand tall through the pain of detoxification, recovery and true governmental life change? When they do, will we?
