On July 10, Phil Gramm, former Senator and economic advisor to John McCain said we have become a “nation of whiners”. This, in reference to our economy at the time, was a statement immediately pounced upon by Obama and just as quickly denounced by McCain.
Obviously things have changed with the recent crisis in the financial markets, the causes of which have, and will continue to be much-discussed. Our economy is not what it was in July. But the essential truth of Mr. Gramm’s statement remains. I think his comment was a moment of rare, undiluted truth, spoken I suppose, by someone who should have known better – a career politician.
I hear it in the voices of some college students I teach. I read it in the news almost daily. I hear it in passing conversations. Sadly I hear it all too often from leaders and public figures. We seem to be no longer a nation of doers, builders, creators, inventors and pioneers. Instead we are merely victim/consumers, helpless and hopeless, (Larry Elder uses the term “victocrat”). We are becoming like Oliver, holding our collective gruel bowls up to the governmental head-master and meekly mumbling, “Please sir, can I have some more?” We don’t want to roll up our sleeves and work. We want a free government-issued shirt, one with the sleeves pre-rolled.
Now I know this is not true of all U.S. citizens, but I really do think it is a growing percentage of our population. Conversely I also think that fewer and fewer of us truly believe we are capable of solving our own problems.
Instead we whine and complain…and in too many cases we just hope and believe someone in government is going to come along and make it better for us. I think this explains, at least in part, the alluring but sinister attraction that is Barack Obama. He beckons us not to do, but to believe. He asks nothing of us and offers everything. He reassures us he is going to make things “fair” again. All we need do is simply believe – believe he can bring change, believe he can cool the warming earth, tame our enemies, end war, bring our boys home, tax only the few “evil” rich while doling money to everyone else, provide universal health-care, clothe and feed the naked and hungry of the world, remove nuclear weapons from the face of the earth, and on and on and on.
Because we would rather whine and complain rather than work and create, we seek someone who has heard us, understands us, and will give to us what we want. And Obama has so many believers. It doesn’t matter about his past, his allies, his inexperience, his militantly pro-abortion record, his Marxist – Socialist bents. Facts don’t matter here – one need only believe. this is why it is virtually impossible to sway an Obama supporter. One cannot argue beliefs.
Please don’t misunderstand. I don’t think belief in and of itself is bad. I have beliefs. I believe there is a God who loves me. I believe He sent his Son, Jesus to live among us, to die for us, and to conquer death by His resurrection. I believe that I have eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. But my belief is in God, not man – any man. I also believe God granted me a measure of intelligence, strength and wisdom, and that I can use those God-given gifts, with His help, to carve out my own earthly destiny, not one dispensed to me by a “benevolent” government like some enormous Pez.
John F Kennedy’s inaugural address from 1961 includes these most famous words – these good words:
And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you – but what you can do for your country.
Come inaugural day, 2009, I fear we may be hearing a very different version.
And so, citizens of this nation and the world, ask not what this country can do for you – only believe and you won’t even have to ask.
