The Scourge of America.

       I listened, this morning, to a conservative's longstanding claim that our government cannot continue to support entitlements because they will destroy our economy. That same conservative stated that we must lift the freeze on increases in funding for the military, just not the entitlements. In other words, we need to build our defense capabilities far beyond its current state.
       But if we extend our military and do nothing further for those least able to fend for themselves, we lose that which we claim to be our excuse to exist. America is greatest when it lifts up all its citizens. So how do we fend for those in need? Because the numbers of people who will find themselves out of work, out of good paying jobs in the future will climb higher and higher.
       Many will be trainable for higher skilled positions, and many will just not fit in. Who will pay for the training necessary to raise those with the aptitude and what is to become of those who haven't the aptitude? America cannot long survive with a growing segment of its society sitting unused. No country in history could. Not Rome, not Germany between the world wars.
       Our politicians ignore this problem at our own risk. Rome provided the Coliseum and games with free food. It didn't work.  But we can't just shut down entitlements without some form of meaningful work. Activity is necessary to eliminate crime and racial hatreds. They're breed by inactivity. A busy person doesn't have time to learn to hate.
       So what kind of jobs can be created for those who don't fit into higher tech? Jobs that produce profits or fill needs? Otherwise riots, crime and hatred will fill our future. As long as our politicians ignore this problem the harder it will be to solve. But politicians are only mirrors of ourselves, they are the speakers to our microphones.