September 22, 2008

Dear Carl.

I apologize for neglecting to write sooner, Carl. Life gets hectic, money is tight and work intervenes. You probably understand all too well. I certainly do enjoy The Voluntaryist and want to contribute to its support, so here is a check. I'm sorry for not sending it earlier.

We struggle here with the rising cost of property taxes, medical insurance premiums, gas bills, propane charges, etc. I see no end in sight to the economic mess the politicos have submerged us in and more bailouts are on the way as the privileged scramble to cover their asses and protect their friends.

I look at my phone bill and the electric bill and am reminded again and again of all the "hidden" taxes that eat away our innards. Here $1.50, there 23 cents, over here another $3 and on and on it goes so that these bills actually are just another slight-of-hand tax grab. Then the power company has the gall to put a notice in the bill asking me to voluntarily contribute to underwriting the cost of paying someone's heating and electric bill during the winter no-shut-off period. I go through the grocery line and watch the funny credit cards paying for all manner of things I can't afford and realize that there goes another of the privileged with their expected and demanded handout.

I am on the sewer commission here and the organization is applying for a grant to upgrade the system. The grant is another of those earmarks we read so much about-something the local thug arranged with his Washington buddies to funnel money into this area. I told the group that I cannot support the grant application process. Someone, somewhere has to begin saying no to these things. I heard all the anticipated arguments: if we don't take it, someone else will; the neighboring village is getting $200,000 for its sewer work from the grant; the people in the district will hang us if we don't apply; the law is there to help small, poverty areas with just such projects, etc. One commissioner pointed to cities that have used "Federal" aid to rebuild after disasters and said this is not much different from that. I wanted to scream! I said that Chicago was destroyed by a fire, but rebuilt on its own, Galveston was wiped out by a hurricane in the early 1900s and rebuilt, and these cities did it without a cent of federal dole. This handout attitude, I said, lies at the heart of the sickness that is eating away the sinew of this country. Our willing dependence on Washington, our thinking we are getting something for nothing, that someone else is paying for what we get, and furthermore, ought to pay for it, is a civic cancer. When we again reclaim our pride and demand self respect by looking to ourselves to handle our own situations, then we will begin to reverse the sickness. Well, much as I argued, the result was quite what I expected. The vote was 2-1. I know they scratched their collective heads after the meeting. How could anyone be so out of touch with reality in the modern age? Get with it. That's just the way things work. I understand fully the mindset, I just simply cannot accept it nor can I mesh my sense of morality and political philosophy with the game being played out in our land.

Carl, I am so discouraged by what has happened in America, even just during my life time. The front people running in the major parties for president and vice-president would be jokes if it weren't so tragic.

Well, I'm likely preaching to the choir, so forgive my rambling. In short, here's a little money to help your fine work. I hope things with you and your family go well. One day I hope to find my way to your doorstep and we can again share a few minutes of conversation.

All the best.
Mike Coughlin