Sunday, October 25, 2009

"Where's My Stuff?"


I don’t mean to stereotype an entire generation, but it seems to this old NCO that there has been a general ‘shift’ in the attitude about what it means to be an American. I’m speaking mainly about the generation that grew up in the 90s and were of voting age in 2008 - for many, it was their first presidential election.
This attitude of what it means to be an American is best epitomized by a skit from Saturday Night Live, where President Bush was giving a press conference and a young girl stands up and says “Where’s My Stuff?” The President looks confused and questions the girl -- she responds by saying she sees everyone around her has new cars, nice clothes, and a big home, so since everyone else has there stuff, she wanted to know where her stuff was.
I’m also reminded of the presidential debate between Obama and McCain where they both were to describe if healthcare was a right or a responsibility. McCain said healthcare was a responsibility, which is what this old NCO would have said. But Obama said, in America healthcare should be a right. One answer was from a capitalist, one from a socialist.
So this generation of Obama supporters grew up with a sense of ‘entitlement’ - that as an American, you are entitled to “your stuff”. And that’s what President Obama is doing - providing this generation their stuff. The only problem is that those of us, like this old NCO, who have spent the majority of their lives working to pay for their stuff, have to foot the bill so Obama can give it away for free.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Bah - health care needed changed, that much is clear. As far as it being done for free - I'm not too keen on that either.

gatordude said...

Health care needs reform, no question. But what we are watching is transfer of wealth from the folks that want to work to those that don't, plain and simple. Its not just this plan either....