Hurricane Harvey: The Ugly Truth About Dependence

As Hurricane Harvey nears the coast, the world watches with bated breath to see if Trump is up to the first serious challenge of his presidency. And by ‘the world’, I mean the media and the left. And by ‘first serious challenge’, I mean first serious challenge since having to try and deal with a do-nothing Congress.

The hurricane is being called “potentially life-threatening” and is expected to cause major damage to the Texas coast. This is no doubt a scary time for many Americans in the path of the storm, and we ought to remember them in our prayers.

That being said, Trump’s response is not what matters in this situation, as the media and the left would have you believe.

Do Something

America has developed a poisonous mindset. It goes something like this - if the government doesn’t do something, the world will end. This colors nearly every aspect of our lives.

Government has a supposed duty to DO SOMETHING in nearly every circumstance. Whether it is healthcare/insurance, climate change, gun control, business hiring practices, internet access, or a hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast.

The common refrain is “What is the government going to do about it?”

Individual liberty depends entirely on individual responsibility. Our liberty cannot exist without us taking on our responsibilities like adults.

Government has a proper role. But it is a limited, defined role designed to allow government to fulfill its purpose (protecting the people’s rights) with as little restriction on individual freedom as possible.

We Will Overcome

The media and the left (and I repeat myself there) are making it out to be Trump and the federal government’s personal responsibility to deal with the hurricane’s results. And while the government may have some limited role in rebuilding vital infrastructure (within its jurisdiction) as well as police, fire, rescue, etc., the responsibility for dealing with the storm’s results does not rest on their shoulders alone.

America was not built on dependence. Quite the opposite. That’s why we call the 4th of July “Independence Day”. America was built on individuals taking responsibility for themselves, their own actions, and their own results.

The people sitting paralyzed, waiting for FEMA to sweep in to save the day, would never have won the Revolutionary War. The people watching and waiting for Trump and his administration to act would never have won the Revolutionary War. The people waiting for the government to solve their problems, for the government to DO SOMETHING, would make the Founders roll over in their graves.

Americans are strong. Americans are independent. We do not need the government to help us. We will get through on our own, we will help each other, we will overcome adversity through our faith in God and our love for our fellow man.

Jonathan Paine

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