America – The Land of the “FREE?”

MISSION, TX - JULY 24: Undocumented immigrants on July 24, 2014 in Mission, Texas. Tens of thousands of immigrants, many of them minors, have crossed illegally into the United States this year, causing a humanitarian crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border. Texas Governor Rick Perry announced that he will send 1,000 National Guard troops to help stem the flow. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

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Is America truly the “land of the free and the home of the brave?” If the numbers of people who want to come and live in the US is any indication — yes.

But what are these new residents expecting? What do they see in America that’s nonexistent in their own native lands?

At the turn of 20^th century most immigrants came because there was the promise of a land where they could work and make a better life for themselves. Our freedoms guaranteed an opportunity — nothing more. There were no handouts only hand ups.

The NEW Immigrant

The new immigrant expects handouts, government forms in all languages, bi-lingual school programs, welfare, food stamps, free medical care, and a host of other programs with zero responsibilities to adapt to our language or culture or become anything resembling a true American citizen.

In short some expect America to be the “land of the free stuff and the home of those who pay for it.” And why should they expect anything different?

That’s what we’ve been showing the world. If you can get here someone else will pay all your bills.

Who’s Paying The Bills?

There are five “quintiles” (government speak for five groups) in the tax system. The top two quintiles pay all of the federal income taxes.

Due to welfare, unemployment extensions, tax breaks, child deductions, the bottom three quintiles pay zero income taxes. Why work if you don’t have to?

You do the math. Here are the bills you are paying on April 15^th.

$2.4 billion in fraudulent payments to food stamp recipients
$17.5 billion in projected improper Medicaid payments in 2014
$3.5 billion in improper Supplemental Security Income payments in fiscal year 2014

According to the Congressional Budget Office welfare spending reached $431billion in 2008 and increased to $639 billion in 2013. That’s an income tax increase of 48.3 percent to those who are footing the bill.

Shouldn’t we be thinking about cutting some of this waste first before increasing taxes for funding more dependency programs?

Why Is The Recession Recovery Taking So Long?

In the past we’ve recovered from most recessions in about 18-24 months. While this recession ended in 2009 according to government measures people are still not feeling much recovery in their daily lives.

What makes this recession different is the dollars that have been added to replace what the displaced worker lost.

The incentive to look for work has been lost on the American worker. There are more incentives to get on the “freebie” payroll than to take a job you would gladly sign up for if you were not getting all the free stuff.

America is it’s own worst enemy when it comes to helping people. There is a fine line between giving help and incentivizing government addiction.

Some Final Thoughts

We are in the process of legalizing 5 million people who are breaking the law by being in this country. They are going to cut in line ahead of those 7 million who are trying to become American citizens using the legal process.

We are a nation built by immigrants. Immigrants created forty percent of the current Fortune 500 companies. But there is a right way and a wrong way to help people.

We raise our children to “share” and “play by the rules,” yet our actions speak otherwise. Is it any wonder so many people think they are “owed” something without any sacrifice on their part? Perhaps the best things in life ARE Free.