Upon reflection, my earlier post in this thread referring to my parents and grandparents as role models for certain values, as described in the cited article, might have been viewed by some as confusing – my Sicilian side sometimes posts from the heart and not always from the head. Mea culpa.
FWIW, another article appeared in American Thinker a short while back - the author used a parent/child analogy in his consideration of the merits of self sacrifice and the danger of government largesse - he, perhaps, better summarized what I was thinking in relation to some of the proposed resolutions to reform - discussed in the original article - here is an excerpt:
“Our parents wanted to make us happy, but they understood the danger of taking satisfaction to the extreme. In addition, they understood the need to teach us the merits of self-sacrifice. They realized that we would grow up and be released into a world in which discipline was a key factor in our maturity. When they said no to our requests, even to our demands, it was because they were keeping us from believing that we could have anything we wanted if we simply held our breath and stomped our feet. If you have liberal parents, they probably gave in every time you pouted, screamed, or engaged in other childish tantrums. But, if you're really lucky, you have parents who taught you that life isn't always fair and that nobody owes you a living. They were preparing you for adulthood.
What our government is doing today exemplifies the liberal parent/spoiled child syndrome. Liberals say you should have everything you want, freedom is unlimited, and every grievance should be soothed by the curative balm of government largesse. Conversely, conservatives say you must take responsibility for your own future and not use the blame game as a crutch."
Bob Weir is a former detective sergeant in the New York City Police Department. He is the executive editor of The News Connection in Highland Village, Texas. Email Bob.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/...r_traditi.html