Why are we in this mess where entitlements are more valued than freedom and personal responsibility?

Like many people – the majority of Americans according to the polls – I’m ticked off by the people in Washington and even more so by those who elected them. Our Founding Fathers did not intend career politicians and bureaucrats to make their livings and careers off what the rest of us pay in taxes.

If I’m paying their salaries and benefits, I’d like a little more say in what they do. How come I have no more say (one vote) than someone who has never contributed a nickel to big government, moreover who has never earned the nickel the government is paying them for so called entitlements?

Americans are ‘entitled’ to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness along with other unalienable rights granted by our Creator.

If people are living off the government they shouldn’t get to vote on how much support they receive.

These days, those in Washington as well as those early career politicians who aim to go to Washington act like American royalty expecting the rest of us ‘ordinary’ folks to bow and kowtow to them as if they were born to rule.

Career politicians have taken advantage of exchanging handouts aka entitlements for votes, and voters have been ‘stupid’ enough (to use one of President Obama’s favorite off-the-teleprompter words) to sell their votes for more government aid.

How in the world did we get here? That’s not the difficult question. TEA Partiers have become historical explaining how we got here, much to the frustration and chagrin of Washington and the overwhelmingly liberal, progressive, and ever-effluent media.

Why are we in this mess now? Because those who benefit from big government outnumber those of us who have to pay for it.

We’ve transitioned from being a people grounded on free market, free enterprise principles, to being a people dominated by those who value government entitlements over work ethics and personal responsibility.

I don’t want handouts. I don’t want to be a burden on anybody else. I want to be free to make my own way on my own merits. And, if I’m a victim of anyone or anything, I want the opportunity to rise above that on my own without big brother condescendingly patting me on the head and telling me he’ll take care of me. I don’t want big brother taking care of me! I don’t want to be enslaved by big brother.

God bless America. I want to be free! America was founded on freedom, and America has freed many people domestically and around the world.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.” Some Americans have become totally dependent on the security of entitlements at the expense of freedom.

As we move through the primary season into the election season, let us remember freedom’s values and not exchange our votes for handouts.

Daniel L. Gardner is a syndicated columnist who lives in Starkville, MS. You may contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com