American Happiness
So many Liberals and their Minority “tenants” scream, rant, and whine about entitlements. In their hearts and minds they believe that people – at least certain favored types, races, and classes of people – have the right to succeed irrespective of the amount and efficacy of the effort they spent to achieve that success.
Sadly for them – and for Americans now that they rule over us – this pernicious and un-American philosophy of egalitarian entitlement flies in the face of truth and wisdom.
The U. S. Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.
— Attributed to Benjamin Franklin
(No providence for attribution)
An American succeeds or fails – indeed, lives or dies – by the fruits of his or her own effort and the, often figurative these these days, sweat of their own brow. They do not succeed because they are entitled to.
It is such a shame that the Liberals do not, and apparently cannot understand this. Their attitudes are an insult and disservice to everyone they claim to support.
~*~
With a grateful H/T to Hsoi, who reminded me of these all-too-true and all-too-often, hated and despised words of wisdom.
Tags: America | Benjamin Franklin | Freedom | Liberals | Philosophy | Politics | Quotes | Society | The Constitution
July 18th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
These days, they want to succeed by the fruits of YOUR and MY effort. Crazy thing is, if everyone adopted this approach, we’d all be screwed as there’d be no effort at all.
The opposite, where everyone makes effort, I fail to see a downside; in fact, I see so much benefit from that.
July 19th, 2009 at 4:30 am
True, hsoi; as far as I can see, there’d be no downside to everyone making accepting responsibility for their own success and happiness.
Sadly there are too many others that prefer handouts and “guarantees.”
September 11th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Americans love the idea of America a lot more than they’ve ever loved their fellow Americans….”Provide for the common welfare?”…. just a bunch of ideals….nothing we ever really aspire to. We are a “I got mine, you get yours and leave mine alone” society. Abortion is a popular rallying cry because it doesn’t cost anything shout about unborn babies or to parade outside of a Planned Parenthood office. However, if we were to say to each of the protestors….how many babies (no matter what) are you willing to take personal and financial responsibility for until adulthood…and oh yes, pay for the care of the pregnant Mom??….They’d throw those signs in the back of their Rav4’s and go home. I’m not saying abortion is the best or moral solution to an unplanned or wanted pregnacy…I’m just saying we only care about the “common welfare” of our fellow citizens until we are asked to kick in a little extra….then we get plain mean spirited….Oh No!!!Not MY money!” That’s our America…plain and simple.
September 11th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Honey, allow me to properly cite the passage you’re misquoting:
Promote, not provide. The only thing the Constitution promises will be provided is opportunities and the common defense, and even the common defense is predicated on the willing support of the people in that endeavor.
In the case of abortion – these women made bad choices and should not be free of the consequences of them, certainly not at the expense of a child’s life. Any argument that doesn’t take into account the fact that these women want to murder their own young is completely specious.
September 14th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
The quote has awkward syntax and language from the Declaration of Independence to describe the Constitution? Highly unlikely Franklin said it unless this is a bad case of broken googlephone.
jonolan, allow me to properly cite the passage you are misquoting:
“The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States.”
To be fair, in all likelihood Honey was probabaly confusing the two passages.
Notwithstanding same, one has to be naive to think that those helped live like kings, all who live the American dream deserved it, and every man can make it if he or she only works hard.
September 15th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Igor,
What you’ve cited is Article I, Section 8. Whereas what I wrote was the Preamble of the US Constitution, verbatim. Check here, if you doubt me.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:44 am
I am well aware of what you cited and was merely poin
September 15th, 2009 at 9:55 am
I am well aware of what you cited and was merely pointing out the potential source of Honey’s confusion. Similarly I know very well the provision I cited, and apologise for my oversight of not including the specific reference.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Sorry for misposting, posting from my phone can be slightly awkwars.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:14 am
No problem whatsoever, Igor. My hands don’t work well anymore and I mispost fairly often.