Published: August 23, 2008 11:53 pm            

'It’s better to create jobs rather than handouts'

Scott Carmichael and Melba Clark, chairpersons for the Lauderdale County Republican and Democratic Executive Committees, respectively, discussed politicas this week at Meridian Community College's Dulaney Room. Carmichael and Clark were asked to debate as part of the Lifetime Quest annual meeting. Lifetime Quest is a Meridian Community College sponsored "learning in retirement center." During the debate in which I was present, Mr. Carmichael commented in reference to the differences in his party’s belief, “It’s better to create jobs rather than handouts.” However, Mrs. Clark stated the Democratic Party seeks to give people, “a leg up, not a hand out,” and I totally agree with her.

But Mr. Scott Carmichael, your statement showed me that you may be a little out of touch with reality my friend and with what I believe we as American’s are all about. By changing a few words, your statement could have made a world of a difference.

With that being said, I’d like to rephrase your statement Mr. Carmichael if I may by saying, "Give folks a hand up, not a handout." I don’t believe that everyone is asking for a handout, but they may just need a hand-up. One of the greatest in-touch individuals once said, "For the poor always ye have with you..." (KJV John 12:8) [See also Matthew 26:11 and Mark 14:7]

As a God fearing nation and people, it is both our duty and responsibility to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves in any and every way we can.

It’s a fact, when we as a people surrender our duty and responsibility, to an all-powerful federal government, we will avoid our own individual duties and responsibilities as a people.

I’m not naive to the fact that there are some bureaucrats, politicians and lawyers who are following the “money bag” like a modern day Judas. A money bag that the poor folks will not have the opportunity to reap its contents. I know that there are frictions which often accompany social relationships between members or groups of different social classes. Many times those underlying tensions of hostility or hatred which exist in our society are often due to conflicting interests that arise from different social positions which may equal to big bucks for everyone but the poor.

But, it is not altogether true that some of those God fearing, American loving bureaucrats, politicians and lawyers never seek to hold the poor absolutely unaccountable for their own actions either. That’s why we are responsible as a government and people to "Give a hand up, not a handout" and also to help others to become recipients of what this country, this land of opportunity and free has to offer.

We can't allow suffering and hopelessness to exist in our land of the free without our government being accountable to the people. We can't afford to lose a generation of tomorrow's doctors and business owners and teachers to poverty, even those who live in Meridian, Mississippi.

Today's economy has made it easier to fall into poverty. The fall is often quick and more permanent than ever before. You used to be able to find a good job without a degree from college or even high school. Today that's nearly impossible and why not? You used to be able to count on your job to be there for your entire life and why not? Today almost any job can be shipped overseas in an instant. Our children are sadly moving away from home (Mississippi) after completing High School and College just to find better and higher paying jobs.

Furthermore, the jobs that remain are paying less and offering fewer benefits, as employers have succeeded in busting up unions and cutting back on health care and pensions to stay competitive with the companies abroad that are paying their workers next to nothing.

The challenge is greater than it has been in generations, but that's all the more reason for this generation to act and create an opportunity to succeed. One in every eight Americans now lives in poverty, a rate that has nearly doubled since 1980. That's an income of about $20,000 a year for a family of four and even less than $16,000 a year in Mississippi.

However, if we travel in some of Meridian’s neighborhoods (Hope 6), we can see what a difference it makes to have a government that cares. You can see what a free lunch program does for a hungry child. You can see what a little extra money from an earned income tax credit does for a family that's struggling. You can see what prenatal care does for the health of a mother and a newborn.

So don't tell me there's no role for government in lifting up our nation, country, cities, towns and neighborhoods. Don’t tell me,”= "It’s better to create jobs, than handouts,” because some folks just in need of, “A Hand-up.” So don’t tell me that the government and individuals should just sit back and let our cities and neighborhoods fend for themselves and not do anything about its poverty. Don’t tell me that problem is basically the result of individual moral failing and poor cultural conditions and then do nothing.

Check history my friend and you will see how President George Bush has spent the last six years slashing programs to combat poverty, and job training. Continue your check of history and you will see what a difference it makes to have a people and a government that cares enough to give a “Hand-up, not a Hand-out.” Change is on the horizon to help people, so that they can get a “Hand-up” to stand up to a government that wasn't and isn’t standing up for them.



John Harris

Meridian

        

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