In his Denver Post column today, he hopefully touts a new responsibility movement in America.

 

However, I'm not convinced that there is a responsibility movement. As Paul Krugman recently pointed out, the country is split pretty much 50% to 50% between the takers and the tax payers. 47% of Americans pay no income taxes after they take all of the Moocher Nation tax deductions and tax credits for having kids, paying interest on their home mortgages, buying health insurance and wasting money on uneconomic green energy projects. 

 

The Moocher Nation is not taking responsibility for being Americans. And most of us have been part of the Moocher nation or are today. The Moocher Nation believes that "It's only the government's money," and that it is entitled and owed and should have tax payers pay for its favorite medical researchers, charities and tax deductions and credits.

 

So, on balance, a huge majority of Americans favor more government spending and smaller majorities favor higher income taxes "for the rich." Wealth envy is rampant in America, not responsibility. 

 

Even Mitt Romney supports government subsidies for ethanol producers and other green energy scammers. Michele Bachmann wants government subsidies for home schooling and,  I assume, private school tuition. Rick Perry has used the money of Texas tax payers to give tax credit incentives to companies that move to Texas, playing to the favored few at the expense of millions of taxpayers and workers who don't benefit from those tax credits.

 

All three candidates are just like President Obama: They use and want to use tax payers' money to buy votes from their favored few in public sector unions, religious groups, the Business Round Table and at General Electric, which pays no income taxes after taking advantage of every green energy subsidy and tax credit on the books.

 

A lot of us are very much on the same track as the so-called Tea Party. But while we can elect a few members of the U.S. House and Senate, I'm not convinced that we have the power to defeat Obama. He will demonize the social issues Republican candidate until the votes come home.

 

I don't think America is unified on much of anything. It never really has been. There is no one cultural value that's accepted by all. We're not Europe, and we're not the America that John and I like to believe that we grew up in during the 40s and 50s. A huge percentage of this country is on the take and irresponsible in so many ways. We all have our responsible and irresponsible moments. We can't generalize about what Americans believe about responsibility or anything else. 

 

It is much too early to write off the Moocher Nation.

 

LINKs:

 

Andrews: Responsibility movement grows, by John Andrews

 

Responsibiity Reborn: A citizen's guide to the next American Century, by John Andrews, Denali Press, 175 pp., $19.95.