We are getting a view of our future. Europe is collapsing from the unsustainability of democratic socialism. It appears Margaret Thatcher was right when she warned “eventually you will run out of other people’s money to spend.” The human tragedy is devastating. There are many generations of families who have never had a family member work for a living. The message that has been passed down is one of entitlement, anger, jealousy and a sense of abandonment. This diminished state is a result of the seeds planted and nourished by a government intent on being the provider of all the people’s needs.
Back home the safety net intended to catch those who might fall through the cracks has now grown and become a trap, snaring far too many citizens and leading them down a path of total dependency on government. These good intentions have deprived people of dignity, responsibility, ambition and the joy of achievement. Some say the answer is for government to spend more in promoting “social justice.” Others say it’s time to rein in spending, cut the size of government and unleash the power of free enterprise and entrepreneurialism.
We are short on time; what will our choices be?
Lynn Costello
Vancouver
