A Reoccurring Pattern in Politics

As an employee in the California State Capitol I have had the opportunity in the last week to hear numerous concerns by groups of various areas of activity, yet with same problem, of receiving a cut in their state funding proposed by the governor.
In my job description I usually do not take such meetings, although I found the experience of doing so quite revelatory in certain areas.

By the end of the 5th group in one single day, who has explained to me the importance of their own program and how the cut will be affecting the lives of many of those who are vulnerable and unable to help themselves, I was able to recognize a pattern.

First of all, each group, although they recognized and even acknowledged the general state of California and how is no longer able to afford all of these programs, they would even say that they’re aware each group maintains that their own cause is among most important, and therefore should not receive deep cuts, yet every single one of them would discount that reality entirely and persist in not having their program cut.

The second and probably most important trend it became very clear to me when listening to each of their challenges is the fact that most of the problems individuals are dealing with in our state could be alleviated and in a much better capacity than the government, by a nurturing, functional family environment.

It kind of hit me that over here, in the States, people have greater expectations and a sense of entitlement from their Government than they expect from their own families.

Maybe it is my upbringing in Romania, which even though it was in a Communist environment (up to when I was five years old) and healthcare and many other public programs were socialized, yet, I couldn’t remember people expecting any help from the Government in providing child care or transportation, or incentives to go to school etc. (there are so many such programs in California, I can’t even count).
What I remember from back home is that the grandparents would care for the children when the parents were at work, or the aunts and uncles, or in my case, if not living close to family, the neighbors would ensure you were fed and safe. And you know what effect this had…it brought us closer together as a community, and everyone was looking after each other.

What do we have instead in a place as California? angry parents and citizens who expect never-ending help from the state, or who refuse promotions and better jobs so that they continue to qualify for certain government programs. This does not seem as a healthy formula for success or progress in any society.
I have solid faith in individual capacity to get innovative and find ways to overcome own challenges. When doing so, that’s how they grow to their full potential and become strong people in society in whom one can trust. Ironically enough, all of these government programs meant to help and protect the vulnerable, end up crippling them by allowing and even encouraging them to see themselves as victims in society and therefore functioning to lower capacity, having as the end result a lack of human dignity and satisfaction of overcoming life’s challenges and obstacles.

In the place I have come from, people don’t have even a fraction of the opportunities that are over here. Education, most often, makes no difference in ensuring a good future, but most everyone I grew up around in the 18 years I lived in Romania, was a fighter. They tried their hardest to provide for their children and to take care of their families. No one expected anything from outside and as a result of it, even though most would be in the sad predicament of a monthly wage of a few hundred dollars, they were happy in knowing they were giving their best.

I wish people in our state would look outside of themselves and implement a new approach to life in overcoming challenges, one which does not resume to asking for more from our Government.

What is the role of a civilization?

Today I read this quote

The essence of civilization is that the strong have a duty to protect the weak.
President G.W. Bush, March 2005

And it made me think, and that's always dangerous when i start thinking...
I actually believe that if a civilization/society is healthy and functional will form strong individuals, who of their own free will and choice will take care of the weak because they would have high values. However, as things have developed for the past few decades is that there is a lack of genuin interest of ensuring the survival and decent level of living of the weak. So what have we tried to do? To force the strong of taking care of the weak...and although this may seem as the optimum alternative on ensuring that the weak are taking care, I think even a better way of using our resources is to educate and empower the weak, only that would provide lasting, real results. That being said, of course there are special cases and that's not what I am talking about. I just think that too often in society we'd rather go for the quick fix, which in this case is to make the strong protect the weak, when instead we should treat the weak to their real potential and help them reach it.