Independence and Dependence: You and Government

Sun Tzu's methods leverage forces in the environment to your advantage. We must use those forces but we are independent from them because we can choose our responses. Even if the winds are blowing against us, we can go where we want if we know how to tack correctly. During my appearance on a radio show (WSBA, York, PA) this morning, the host, Gary Sutton, pointed out that John McCain missed an teaching opportunity in commenting on Sen. Gramm's "nation of whiners" statement. /We can all be sympathetic for people who lose their jobs, but the idea that they must rescued by the government is destructive. Government power, like radiation or chemotherapy, is needed to attack cancerous elements in society but it is never a healthy or pleasant thing and must be restricted as much as possible. The unpleasant government medicine is needed in these limited areas, but the idea that we must use it to change the winds of climate is not only quite wrong, but it encourages a sense of personal helplessness and dependence that is dangerous. Fortunately, according to a recent Zogby poll, most people have the common sense to realize this. Too bad our politicians don't.