The Special Session on Crime has now been completed, but there are still many concerns being expressed that “we have seen no credible evidence that any of these measures will deter crime”. Perhaps we should have an honest conversation about the root causes of increased crime — and increased poverty — and declining education, morality, and religion. The problem: Our government and political elite.
Consider the following facts:
— In 1935 President Roosevelt implemented work programs tied to government assistance after the Great Depression since “the lessons of history show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber.”
— Yet in 1965 President Lydon Johnson chose to ignore President Roosevelt’s “lessons of history” warnings and implement the “Great Society” welfare programs which led to the disintegration of the black family—in 1960 only 22% of black children were raised with only one parent, and by 1985 67% percent of black children were raised with either one parent or no parent, and by 2020 our government was paying our citizens in a manner promoting not working, to having children out of wedlock, and buying opioids, etc.
— Our political leaders promoted the removal of God from our schools and public squares in the 1970’s, and today there is a serious lack of morality in America.
— In 2012, despite the blatant failure of the government’s war on poverty, President Obama doubled down and put the nation’s welfare/no work programs on steroids even though it almost doubled the national debt — and the cost of Obamacare and Medicaid Expansion is still ticking away.
— Our political leaders turned our education system into “government run schools” staffed with left leaning Marxist educators/administrators---and to pay for it, our government took over the student loan programs from third party companies---and tuition along with student loans skyrocketed unchecked, followed by large student loan debt forgiveness during election years. With each passing year more students graduate from high school even though they cannot read. Are government schools intentionally “dumbing them down”?
— With the decimation of the family unit and the removal of God has come the erosion of moral values, exploding drug addition, pervasive poverty, unemployment, social chaos in disadvantaged neighborhoods (think New Orleans, Baton Rouge) and now even 8,000 plus expulsions of pre-K thru third grade Louisiana students as there is no respect for authority.
What is the solution to this problem? We need to take Government out of our Schools and Homes and replace them with God and Fathers. However, as Thomas Sowell said: “as long as millions of Americans vote on the basis of who gives them free stuff, look for their freedom to be eroded away, bit by bit.”
Steve Gardes is a certified public accountant (CPA) and certified valuation analyst (CVA) with over 40 years of public accounting experience.