It’s rare that I hear anyone say these days, “I’m just trying to make a living.” My parent’s generation used this term quite frequently along with my grandparents. It basically means: earning enough money to place a roof over your head, food to eat, and clothes to wear.
After my father was honorably discharged from the Air Force, he entered the business world owning a gas station and automotive parts stores. Dad was of the frame of mind, that merely working for a W2 form for the rest of his life went against the grain, in being able to ‘adequately provide’ for his family and have anything left. By entering the business world, foremost, he became a provider of jobs to others.
Early on, he believed that the government was taxing people to death as a means of preventing them from getting ahead. With the recent 1.2 trillion-dollar spending budget just passed, hang on to your wallet or purse because they’re coming for more.
The San Francisco rock group, Huey Lewis and the News, recorded a song that exemplifies how my father felt regarding W2s. “Working for a Living” is the song title, and these now dated lyrics, fit his ideology perfectly back then.
“Hey, I’m not complaining ‘cause I really need the work.
Hitting up my buddies got me feelin’ like a jerk.
Hundred-dollar car note, two hundred rent.
I get a check on Friday, but it’s already spent.
I’m takin’ what they’re giving ‘cause I’m workin’ for a livin’.”
Early on, I know my parents lived from paycheck to paycheck, with Dad sometimes moonlighting at a parttime job while still in the military. Mom worked at a hospital as a nurse’s assistant, including taking in ironing for other people. My folks knew the meaning of working hard to try and get ahead.
I tried to instill the same in my children, believing that if you want something bad enough, you have to earn it. It seems that philosophy went flying out the window where this entitled generation is concerned. Now, it seems, more and more young people and newcomers to this country, believe things should just be handed to them. It’s easy to see the decay in America because of this socialistic downturn.
Driving through our city, I see “NOW HIRING” signs in many business windows. Businesses seemingly can’t find enough people willing to work. In some cases, the ones they do hire are expecting a paycheck for merely showing up.
Trying to keep my ears open whenever possible, I heard a young employee in a restaurant tell a customer, “If they want me to stay here, they need to pay more.” Basically, she was either looking to quit, or was priming the pump for a bigger tip. I didn’t see a ball and chain attached to her ankle, so the gal was free to leave.
Free cell phones, free college tuition, free food, free cable, free internet, free lodging, free medical and dental, and the list goes on and on, was never a part of my parent’s generation. Government, along with a good number of followers, seem to have turned on those hard working and business savvy people providing jobs.
A good friend of mine uses the term, ‘the haves and the have nots.’ In his definition of the term, it doesn’t refer to just rich and poor. The haves are folks that worked hard and fulfilled their dream, whatever that might be. A nice home, car, boat, airplane, home on the lake, etc.
The have nots in his mind are those people that criticize the haves, jealous of them, saying that they’re the reason for them being in the have not position to begin with. We’re seeing this flawed ideology in our country right now, with certain government leaders, politicians, and even educators mostly to blame for stirring the pot.
It’s akin to what happened prior to WWII in Germany. Adolf Hitler turned a good percentage of the German people against Jews, saying they were responsible for the hard economic times being incurred in that country. Jewish students were taught early on the basics of financial discipline, and they prospered because of it. Many still do.
They were the ones providing jobs back then, with a good number of Jewish citizens being business owners. Tragically, we’re seeing history repeat itself—not with just Jewish people being singled out—but the haves as well.
Those song lyrics mentioned by Huey Lewis and the News, could now be changed to reflect things a bit differently these days.
“Hey, I’m complaining ’cause I really don’t wanna work.
All those rich people I see, I’m being brainwashed into believin’ they’re selfish jerks.
Five-hundred-dollar car lease, thousand dollar rent.
I’m not worried, you see, Uncle Sam covers this for me.
I’m takin’ what the government’s giving, ‘cause I don’t wanna work for a livin’!”
How will this end up? Only time will tell. Hopefully, voters will see through the charade before it’s too late to avoid where this twisted path of destruction is taking us.
I like to write junk... 