Personal Responsibility

Now that I have kids, I think I am more sensitive to personal accountability and responsibility.  The wife and I were talking today about it.  It seems that much of this country has moved from personal accountability and moved towards me me me.

You may think, after reading that first paragraph, that I am a conservative.  That is not true...I am as liberal as anybody (well not anybody, Paul Yarns is more liberal than me).  However, I am a firm believer in some social equality issues that prevent me from considering the republican platform (opposition to gay marriage, opposition to abortion, irony of small government that controls what I do in my home -- does nobody else notice that?)

In any event, my issue with the democrats, and many liberals (no offense to my liberal friends), is what could be considered to be lack of personal responbility.  It is a difficult question.  If there is a poor white child in rural missouri, is it fair that your parents were poor, and your cousin makes meth?  is that your fault?  according to many of the republicans, it is your fault and you should be able to pull your self up by your boot straps.  on the other hand, that same kid should have some responsibility and do the best with what they have.  I know that the child that I have described has a significantly more uphill battle than a similarly aged kid with equal intelligence who was born in Ladue.  The kid in Ladue will assume they are going to college and will be able to afford it?  Do we want a country where a child's chance of success is almost directly related to their parents?  Aren't we dooming an entire portion of society to poverty and to never really having a chance?

The repubs will have you believe it only takes hard work, and they are right in part.  Clearly, the kid in rural missouri needs to work and take advantage of what he can, but, is it fair that the kid in Ladue, frankly, does not really have to work??  The current system is not working.  On the other hand, I am not a socialist/communist (my more well-read friends will tell me I don't know which is which -- and they are correct).

I don't think the wealthy should be required to pay for everybody (though increased taxes aren't the end o the world).  I do think, though, that every kid should have the opportunity of a very good education.  There is no doubt that our system is failing the kids, and it is not b/c of the dedicated teachers that do their jobs well everyday.  it is more than that.  it is systemic.  it needs to be fixed.

Frankly, I would suggest the Federal Government give significant money to subsidize school districts that do not have the tax base.  Ladue School District should not exponentially more wealthy than other school districts just because the wealthy live there.  Can nobody see the vicious circle that creates?  Good tax base, good schools.  more wealthy people move in.  higher tax base, better schools, etc etc etc.  On the others side of the coin, are the poor neighborhoods.  low tax base, bad schools, depresses real estate, and the circle of poverty continues.

I began this with personal accountability and responsibility.  I very much believe that everybody needs to do their share to better their lot in life. I also believe that the poor kid in rural Mississippi, or the City of St. Louis should not be so disadvantaged from the start they have no realistic chance.  Consider this, there may be a kid in a City school, or a school in rural Alabama that is extremely intelligent.  She might be great at science.  She might have the potential to discover the cure for cancer or aids, or some other global problem.  Instead, though, she goes to school with substandard supplies and classrooms with too many children.  Nobody recognizes her intelligence, potential, or will to learn.  Her family is poor and her mother works two jobs just to keep food on the table.  As she gets older, with no guidance from anybody, she hides that she is smart b/c she is 15 and is more interested in boys than books.  She quits studying.  She is still smart, but she never considers college.  She ends up working as a CNA, waitress, or hotel clerk.  She never works in the field where she had the most to give.  Shouldn't every kid have a chance?  Let's put the personal responsibility on the kid, but give them an equal chance.

these are not complete thoughts.  These are not finished projects.  But ultimately, I want my children to have every chance and I want them to work for what they get.  I also want them to recognize that not everybody is as fortunate as them and giving back is a good thing too.  Perhaps, that is something the republicans have forgotten.

Have a great day

- cp