PrintFebruary 21, 2009
American Idle
President Obama is auditioning American Idle contestants. These non-producers of our society stole the show at his town meeting in Ft. Meyers, Florida on February 10, 2009. It was like watching a Saturday Night Live skit when a parade of sad sacks asked for handouts. Henrietta Hughes tearfully begged the President for a car, a kitchen and a bathroom. Julio Osegueda, overcome in spontaneous euphoria, asked the president what his plans are for giving him better benefits at his job for McDonald's. A man, who was recently laid off and receiving the forced generosity of the American people through his unemployment check, ungratefully asked why the government did not compensate him for his entire salary.
It's as if these losers of life's lottery were expecting the president to turn water into wine or to take five loaves and two small fish and feed the entire nation. These examples are just the loudest illustrations of people in America growing up with a mentality of entitlement to their every desires.
Where are all the exposés and investigative reports on these characters as on Joe the Plumber? The problem with Joe the Plumber is that he is a producer who dared expose the liberal Marxist, redistributionist agenda. This agenda punishes the successful producers to give to the non-producers, the idle. These idle hands are expecting handouts.
Michele Malkin did some digging and discovered that in 2004 Henrietta Hughes and her son, Corey, were living off the charity of others in Rochester, New York. Corey was able to "take comfort" in the free medical services provided by a doctor. Rochester's newspaper, the Democrat and Chronicle, described Corey as an out-of-work computer programmer. He graduated from Monroe Community College, but, sadly, could not even get a job at Wendy's.
Now, as an MCC graduate myself, I find it hard to believe that someone with an associate's degree cannot find a job at a fast food restaurant. I suspect there is more to the story than Corey being denied a job after having applied more than once. It reminds me of the dialogue between Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne in "Dumb and Dumber." Harry: "I can't believe we drove around all day and there's not a single job in this town; there's nothing, nada, zip." Lloyd: "Yeah, unless you wanna work 40 hours a week."
WINK News of Ft. Myers, Florida also looked into Henrietta Hughes' story. They learned that a local faith-based charity gave Henrietta and her son money, food and offered to house them for free for three months. Henrietta refused because they required a $400 security deposit. Corey also refused the free job training courses the charity offered. Apparently in America, beggars can be choosy.
Nineteen-year-old Julio Osegueda, Edison State College student, and McDonald's employee, wanted to know what the federal government can do to force his employer to give him better benefits. He has been indoctrinated into thinking that, at 19, he is entitled to be free from want. He is entitled to this "natural right" no matter that he receives it from the blood, sweat and tears of others. Because he sees this as his "fundamental right" he does not have to earn it. It is an inherent right at age 19.
Who do we blame that this nineteen-year-old believes his employer is in business to provide him with benefits? Who do we hold accountable that he believes his government, using the threat of violence, exists to ensure his employer provides those benefits? His little euphoric, whining rant landed him a dream opportunity: the color commentator spot for Ft. Myers Miracle baseball team's home opener. Of this whole situation, Julio exclaimed "I have never felt this good except maybe when I got my Playstation 3 for Christmas." That would make sense since it is probably the last time someone gave him a handout.
Many are to blame for this mentality where, in the midst of hard circumstances, people stand around idly asking for handouts. We can blame an ideology, but an ideology is merely words on a page unless someone believes it. The first people we should blame are people like Henrietta, Corey, and Julio. Not necessarily for the circumstances they find themselves in, but for the attitude of entitlement they unashamedly maintain. Instead, we reward people who bought too much house with paying their mortgages. We reward a nineteen-year old with a dream opportunity.
So, in reinforcing these bad behaviors, we can expect more of the same. That dynamic is the way of operation for the Democratic Party. Over the next two years we can expect more of these contestants who want to be the next "American Idle."
Take heart. In 2010, we'll have the opportunity to cancel this program.
Take heart. In 2010, we'll have the opportunity to cancel this program.
