| The American dream has always been about being | | | | begun to see the errors of its ways and is starting to |
| your best, going for our dreams, and reaching for the | | | | come up with new ideas. What I suggest is that the |
| stars. But lately, this hasn't been the case. For the last | | | | government does give limited funds to people in need |
| 30 years or so, the liberals have been in the business | | | | to help them during an interim period so they can get |
| of creating dependence, severing the self-esteem, and | | | | back on their feet. We also must help pick them up, |
| stomping on the American dream. I am talking about | | | | dust them off and put them on the right track through |
| The Great Society or otherwise known as welfare. | | | | training and job placement. |
| Our welfare system is not only a drain on the | | | | 3. MENTORSHIP |
| American economy but is a clogging up the artery | | | | Another big part of success training is mentorship. I |
| leading to the American spirit. In the next few | | | | have mentors in my life who have helped teach me |
| moments, you and I are going to discuss a different | | | | what I need to know to succeed. A mentor is |
| path. A path we as a nation need to unite behind. I am | | | | someone who is willing to give his or her time, |
| going to talk about four specific changes we need to | | | | knowledge, contacts, etc...to help someone else |
| make to our welfare system. Changes I believe will | | | | succeed in life. Some programs are already in place |
| reignite the flame of the American spirit and the | | | | such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters. I am also familiar |
| American success story. | | | | with a retired executive program. These retired |
| 1. THE BALLS IN OUR COURT! ARE WE GOING TO | | | | business leaders help the next generation follow in their |
| HIT IT? | | | | footsteps. We need to help connect people with |
| Whose responsibility is it for the poor? Is it the | | | | mentors. We need to be mentors! Is there someone in |
| government? Is it us? The answer is us. Not us as a | | | | your life who you could take under your wing? |
| government but us as neighbors, family, friends, and | | | | 4. LETTING THEM FLY WITHOUT A SAFETY NET |
| churches. You may not like what you are about to | | | | Eventually every mother bird has to urge her young |
| hear, but the truth of the matter is that when Uncle | | | | out of the nest. They must learn to fly on their own if |
| Sam began trying to pick up the tab for the poor, then | | | | they are to truly succeed. Now, that doesn't mean we |
| the rest of us got lazy. What happened to neighbor | | | | aren't there to help and support them but it does mean |
| helping neighbor in time of need? What happened to | | | | we give them the chance to succeed or fail. We |
| family taking care of its own? What happened to | | | | eventually have to cut off the apron strings and let |
| being with your best friend through thick and thin? Sure, | | | | them move out of the house. In other words, we have |
| these things still happen but not enough. WE MUST | | | | to get them off welfare. We have to quit sending |
| HIT THE BALL AGAIN! I t is in our court. | | | | them a monthly check. You might be saying, "That is |
| 2. INCOME SUPPORT AND TRAINING | | | | harsh!" Maybe you're right, but we have to have tough |
| I am not against the government helping out people in | | | | love. The mother bird believes in her children so much |
| need. What I am against is the government creating an | | | | that she won't allow them to stay in the nest. We must |
| entire new class of people. The government has | | | | do the same if we truly want to help people. It's hard |
| created he Dependent Class. We have families with | | | | but it is necessary if we truly love them. |
| generations on welfare. This is ridiculous and | | | | I believe this is the direction we must pursue if we |
| destructive. We have people collecting welfare (mind | | | | want to reignite the flame. In closing, let me remind us |
| you yours and my tax money) who don't want a job. | | | | all of the words of Alex Hailey, "The way to succeed |
| They would rather sit home and mooch off you and | | | | is never quit. That's it. But really be humble about it.... |
| me like a leach around our necks. This is wrong and | | | | You start out lowly and humble and you carefully try |
| the government has to take part of the responsibility | | | | to learn an accretion of little things that help you get |
| for teaching this. Individuals have to take responsibility | | | | there. |
| for their attitudes and actions. The government has | | | | |