Picking up where I left off yesterday, here are a few more questions. As I told you then, the answer is easy enough to figure out if you read the title, but leave off the “– 2.”
11. “WASHINGTON – Summer is upon us and that means only one thing in the nation's capital: time for Congress to take a holiday at government expense.” The article from the Huffington Post tells of some House members, wives, staff and members of the military (“including an Army doctor in case anyone gets sick along the way”) who will be visiting Rome, Tblisi (Georgia), Vilnius (Lithuania), Moscow, and Lisbon.i I'm sure you've visited and enjoyed all those places. Clearly the purpose of the visit is official and for legislative purposes (as you can tell from the presence of the wives). The Congressmen don't pay for trips like this. Can you guess who does?ii
12. Congress has its chaplains and, the “wall of separation between church and state” notwithstanding, religious institutions get tax breaks. But someone has to support this holy offering. Who do you think does?
13. Among our finest citizens are those who spend time in minimum security prisons – so-called “Country Club Prisons.”iii Here's a description of Allenwood from Forbes Magazine: Amenities: Dorms house up to 80 men in two-man cubicles. Softball, basketball, soccer, flag football, universal weight machine, free weights, pool and pingpong tables. Vocational training offered in horticulture. One program is 150 hours, another is 500 hours. Graduates of both receive certificates of completion.Prisoner perks: Its musical program not only provides instruments but also offers inmate-led instruction. Allenwood is also known for having a particularly diverse inmate population--which, according to experts, makes it a little easier for white-collar convicts to fit in.
Of course the prisoners don't have to wear prison garb or eat prison food. Both can come from outside. We're showing them how seriously we view the violation of our laws. The cost of justice, however, is high. Who picks up the tab?
14. Some of our prisoners spend their entire lives in prison. Even if it's not at one of the “Club Feds,” it will still be a huge expense. Who helps us keep these bad people off the streets?
15. Perhaps you don't approve of the death penalty. Or “targeted killings.”iv Perhaps you don't believe a government has the right to take a life. Well, we do it anyway. And the best things in death ain't free. But we're lucky that there are angels who support these activities. Who pays for us to kill?
16. It's important to keep up with the world – in fact we should be ahead of them. And that takes education. But that education should be public so we can be sure “no child [is] left behind.” So that's what we're doing. At least we're supporting public education. Nonetheless, other countries are doing better in terms of results, though our bills for education are high. Who pays them?v
17. There are probably programs with which you disagree, whether for religious, ethical, or fiscal reasons. Perhaps you don't like the idea of farm subsidies or the subsidization of high salaries for the executives of failing companies, or maybe you oppose medical and educational programs for illegal aliens.vi That's not the issue. You don't get a chance to choose what you're willing to pay for. Who supplies the funding for all governmental programs?
18. Sex education, contraception, and abortifacients (“morning after” pills – they're not really contraceptives since conception has already occurred by that time) are now provided by many schools, often without parental knowledge or consent. It's a right teenagers have isn't it, and the government should honor all our rights. So it costs money. But so what? There are people who'll shell it out. They're happy to. They're good Americans. Who pays the cost?
19. The United Nations is a noble idea. But in practice there are problems. The main one is that it's been taken over by countries that view governmental rule as license for oppression of citizens. It doesn't matter how a government was established. We're privileged to help out. Now those who are the oppressors – and who also have the oil – control the actions of an organization that was established to end oppression. But that's what we have, and it has to be supported. The United States, even if most of the world views our country as evil,vii considers itself to have the responsibility of providing for it.viii And that means that a certain group of people will be taxed to do so. Do you know what people pay the bills?
20. Among the leaders of the world's nations – honored members of the Unitedix Nations – are tyrants who threaten other members and peace in general. They'll willingly take money from their enemies. And that means that some poor individuals will pay for the arms that threaten them. Can you identify what saps pay for the privilege of strengthening the world's tyrants – their enemies?
It all comes out of your taxes. You can avoid these costs by the simple expedient of not paying taxes – by cheating, losing your job, or dying. Great choices, huh? Of course you can do (actually you will do) what we all do – in addition to paying current costs. Leave the ever-increasing bill to your children and grandchildren. We're doing that already, and they'll do the same. Just kick the can down the road. But sooner or later someone will have to pay, and the debt is getting bigger very rapidly.x You'll be dead, though, so it's not your problem. They'll have to deal with it.
i These important trips are also taken to many of the world's other important political sites – like Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and South America. They're taken by military and bureaucratic groups as well as Congress. Nothing is too good for our servants.
ii In all honesty, some of these junkets are provided by political supporters. As the saying goes, we have the best government money can buy. But the costs supposedly paid by those companies are usually passed on to the public, so they really pay.
iii In the interests of accuracy it should be noted that this information is several years old. Conditions may have improved since then or gotten worse. But you get the point. Even prisoners have rights. Not having telephones, television and a law library is cruel and unusual punishment.
iv Including our own citizens.
v By the way, you should be aware that it usually doesn't matter if you pay separately for a religious or other private school or if you don't even have children. The same answer applies.
vi Hard cheese.
vii And that includes the dictatorships seeking aid.
viii Additional costs and inconveniences result from the traffic jams, additional police, and closed-off areas, but the same people will pay for it. Incidentally, the inconveniences of no-drive areas, traffic jams, extra security will also be enjoyed by citizens whenever the President is in town.
ix Benighted?
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