Waking up the Nation (or, The Need to Accumulate Your 'Piece of the American Pie')

The American Dream.

The best definition for it is that hard work, the willingness to take risks, perserverence and determination will lead to success and social/financial prosperity. It is the invisible, driving force behind our particular brand of capitalism, though some would say it is only a myth or fairy tale to keep the poor from discovering the 'real' truth. It is the soul of every entrepreneurial startup, every new actor's audition, every success story in our country. These days, however, it also encapsulates the Welfare system as part of the proverbial 'pie'.

First, I support the concept of a welfare system. There are those who are, through no or little fault of their own find themselves unable to provide for their families. I believe we should help these individuals as they work to improve their situation. Work is the operative word, mind you. Welfare should only be a crutch in the most literal sense, something to hold you up during the healing process and nothing more. Unfortunately, the system doesn't work that way. It allows for people to 'earn a living' through poverty... and there are too many people who have learned to take advantage of just that, working hard at 'being poor' to maximize benefits recieved.

Again, I believe there are people who truly need it. I, personally, utilize the system to provide health care for my children because I don't earn enough to afford medical insurance. There are many more like me and even more in worse situations, scraping by between scant paychecks and government aid. You could consider us the 'upper class' of the poverty range, those who hover within a few thousand a year of the Federal poverty line. We bounce back and forth because we are trying to pull ourselves up and start into more prosperous and successful lives. We use the system as it was originally intended... a temporary solution to help fill the gaps while we adjust aim and focus on our goals.

I digress from my original intentions for the post. Our current welfare system is an issue that irritates me and is prone to causing rant-ish behavior. It's better suited for discussing at another time.

Part of it, however, remains moderately on target.

The American Dream... it's real. And it does require more effort than most are willing to place into it. It isn't always going to be an amazing 'rags to riches' experience, but it's the building block for providing your children with something more and they, in turn, will push further upwards. It's more of a legacy to begin rather than an instant lottery win of success.

We see it in the news on a regular basis in the guise of new, previously nameless companies that rise from seemingly nowhere (anyone remember using Google and Yahoo in the 90's... when Alta Vista was one of the premiere search engines?). We see it in film, most recently with "The Pursuit of Happiness", a tale based on real life experiences, which provides us with the hope that we, too, can attain this dream.

I've been more focused on it recently, as the Roanoke Times has had a number of letters to the editor discussing the "American Dream"... and it's given me some perspective to the changes I'm about to make in my life. After six years in the Army and another five blindly stumbling through mediocre employment, trying to determine what I wanted to accomplish, I'm finally heading back to college with the help of the G.I. Bill/Army College Fund. My hard work and perserverence with the military is going to provide me with the educational credentials to validate the intelligence I already know I have (apologies for the ego stroking) and allow me to pursue employment that will allow me to better provide for myself and my family.

Certainly, it's going to be more hard work and effort, a great deal of sacrifice concerning my free time and my budget will be stretched thin. But I'll be better off for it... I will find success.

To those who believe their tax dollars shouldn't go to provide for the 'poor and lazy', well... maybe you're right, at least on the 'lazy' part. But, realize that many of those 'poor' aren't looking for handouts; rather, they're asking for a crutch to keep them stable while they pursue the same success as you.

To those who feel we should support everyone, remember the old adage of teaching a man to fish. The support we provide should be limited and temporary, just enough to keep someone on their feet while they learn to walk again. They will never have the chance to taste their piece of the pie if you don't give them the opportunity to earn it.