Another form of slavery?

For a couple of months now, my husband and I have been discussing the idea of government as a slave owner, with people, dependent upon the largess of the politicians in charge, as slaves.

We've not fully fleshed it out, but have skirted around the edges of the concept with questions like:

* If government gives you housing and food, tells you where you can send your kids for day care or school, and tells you where to go to a job or training, are you really 'free'?

* Is today's welfare 'society' (for lack of better term) the same as a slave plantation from the 1850's? The 'master'(government) takes care of all your needs and you, in return, do as they say. You may not be out in the fields working, but you're going through the programs they dictate and following their rules in order to maintain your handouts...

* How is today's welfare system any different from slavery? Is it the same concept with a nicer package and the 'illusion' of freedom?

We've been wondering about these things and talking about the differences and similarities. And then today I found Star Parker's column, "Back on Uncle Sam's Plantation," and I realized that others are considering the same things - but in a broader way.

Parker, whose personal story is inspiring, expanded the scope of the idea from the individual to industry and she hits the nail on the head with this observation:

"Instead of poor America on socialism becoming more like rich America on capitalism, rich America on capitalism is becoming like poor America on socialism."

I hope you will read her full column and that it will cause you to also consider the long-term implications of when government 'help' becomes 'control.'

More on SCHIP

For those following the on-going issue of expanding socialized medicine, in the form of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, I offer this column by Star Parker.

According to the article:

The reason for the launch of the SCHIP program in 1997 was affordability of health care. The point was to finance health care for children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.

Now, according to The Wall Street Journal, almost half of our nation's children have government-paid health care either through Medicaid or SCHIP.

This new proposed expansion would entrench government health care more deeply into the nation's middle class.

Whereas SCHIP coverage has commonly covered families earning up to 200 percent above the poverty line, the new proposal lifts this ceiling to 300 percent. According to the Congressional Budget Office, up to 75 percent of families in this income range already have private coverage.

This is an informative article which also addresses the issue of less government regulation - rather than more.