Lets Level the Playing Field

Another election cycle is behind us. Congratulations to the winners. Its fair to say though that the local election system is suspect. A significant portion of voters dont trust our government to do right in this very basic & crucial matter. We have a crisis of confidence in elected & appointed officials at every level. I have a solution, but let me first lay the groundwork for what I propose to the elected officials of our troubled territory. A significant percentage of the American public, Virgin Islanders included, receive government assistance which comes in various forms such as food stamps, unemployment benefits, Section 8, Medicaid, etc. There are roughly 80 overlapping means-tested federal welfare programs. In the early days, the 13 colonies used the British Poor Laws. These laws made a distinction between those who were unable to work due to old age or physical health versus those who were unemployed, but able to work. The former were assisted with cash or other help from the government. The latter group was assigned public service in workhouses. Not so today. Over 100 million people in the U.S. get welfare from the feds. This figure doesnt include Social Security, nor Medicare; but it does include non-citizens. Food stamp recipients alone number 47.7 million. In 2006, the number of civilian government employees, including state & local government personnel, was over 19 million. The Virgin Islands has over 7,400 government personnel. To be fair, all 19 million arent there to support the welfare system, but they too are supported by taxpayers. Our country & territory have been split into two very distinct camps; taxpayers and, lets be controversial, moochers. Many taxpayers are unhappy with the welfare system as currently constituted. Like our election system, the entitlement system is rife with patterns of abuse, dereliction, waste and misconduct. If over 100 million are moochers and there are 19 million government workers overall, how many taxpayers then are there in our country left to support them? In 2012, there were 138 million tax filers, of which half didnt pay any taxes. Hmmm, that leaves under 70 million taxpayers to support the 119 million moochers & the supporting government infrastructure in a U.S. population of 315 million people. The actual taxpayers cant hope to support both the welfare recipients and the government infrastructure that administers it, hence entitlements contribute in a major way to the continued deficits and excessive borrowing by governments at all levels. Again, given the statistics, actual taxpayers cant afford to support this system.

Lets Level the Playing Field

Worse, taxpayers cant effect change as voters because they are outnumbered by moochers at the ballot box! There is worthy welfare provided by non-government organizations such as Catholic Charities, Rotary International, etc. These types of organizations do good work, but are voluntary, not confiscatory like government. Taxpayers get nothing of real, positive value in return for the assistance provided via the welfare system. Suffice to say that with the welfare system, governments have created a dependent subculture and a political constituency with much negative societal side effects. The stage is set and my recommendation is simple. If you are a moocher, you temporarily forfeit your privilege to vote. When moochers have made themselves independent of government assistance and join the ranks of bonafide taxpayers, their right to vote is re-instated. This proposal doesnt include social security recipients, nor military retirees. This proposal has far reaching, societal healing ramifications and politicians would have to grow a spine to even give this idea a hearing. Some may think this proposal cruel and insensitive, but to those who are interested in thought provoking, positive solutions to our core community & national problems, there is merit in this suggestion. This solution doesnt stop any welfare programs. It does leaves the choice up to the moocher whether they want to be voters and productive taxpaying citizens, independent of welfare. Many of us take pride in earning our keep, why not do this and level the playing field in the electoral process. Voting is a very important privilege and this proposal forms the basis for real, positive, substantive structural change. Perhaps we will elect more reasoned politicians dedicated to service, rather than those pandering to the dependent subculture created by the welfare system. Vince Danet PO Box 11072 St Thomas, VI 00801 vincedanet@yahoo.com