Rod Dreher has a new column up at Dallas Morning News saying that his Catholic values sometimes trump his political allegiances. In this case, it was the Texas GOP having scaled back the Children’s Health Insurance Program and his own experience when a family he knew from his parish was hit by the cutbacks.
These devoutly Christian folks work hard for a living. Until very recently, Joan was a home-schooling, stay-at-home mom, who helped out in the family moving business and at church. These are the kind of good family people who hold society together. And when they have their ox in a ditch, society is willing to walk on by.
One way or another, my family is going to help the Kimbers, who are also making draconian adjustments. But what about the Texans who aren’t in a position to draw on the assistance of church and friends, and who have no more room to maneuver?
Okay, I don’t know the details of the Texas budget situation, whether there was actual bloat in the CHIP program, and so on. But, on a general principle, I think it illustrates why having government in charge of charity is a problem in the first place.
Government “charity” is another euphemism for “slavery.”
I know social workers who discourage welfare moms from flipping burgers, since the income they’d get would effect their pay-out. This, to put it nicely, sucks as advice. (However, it’s pretty smart of the social workers—keeps ‘em employed.)
One way or another, my family is going to help the Kimbers, who are also making draconian adjustments.
Forgive me, but isn’t that what he should be doing? Kind of a no-brainer to me.
Be honest, do you even know whether everyone who lives on your block is employed?
Of course I do! And I live in the city, not a small neighborhood.
Dom, I do agree with you that government hand-outs are useless…actually they’re more than useless, they’re dangerous.
But I know too many people who do just the exact same thing Rod asserts his family is going to do to be all that impressed. Again. It’s what we’re supposed to do.
Interesting.. a program to help people buy health insurance is a “handout” and “dangerous..” Dangerous to whom, precisely?
Dangerous like social security, vetrans benefits and universal education, I guess.
Babies with health insurance, a peril to the social fabric. Good stuff.