The other side of life and how state government deals with it

Most of us do the right things, even if we fail at business, are unemployed, have bad credit, drink too much, whatever, we tend to mostly be a people that have a sense of honor and respect for kids and old folks and to some point, each other.  Plainly put, most of us want to take care of the kids and mama and them, despite whatever faults we have.

Perhaps that is why it is hard for folks to understand the value of things like public education and the Department of Social Services.  But, the folks in law enforcement, the DSS, and yes even in public education, see firsthand the other side of life.  The side that does not care about kids or mama or them. They see the folks that in this world deal real harm to others.

As the legendary Hank Williams once wrote, “in the world’s mighty gallery of pictures…the saddest of all are the pictures from life’s other side.”  Those pictures are all around us, if we only dare to see them.  There are the kids who live in a home filled with abuse.  They could be next door.  There is the old widow who has adult children who more worry about who gets her pension check and her car than her care.  The stories of abuse of our most vulnerable that law enforcement, social workers and public educators can tell would curl most folks blood.    It is out there.  It is real.  And, our lack of doing something about it defines us a people.

For, we are only as a good of  a people as we treat and respect the most vulnerable among us.  Christ told us that.  But, we do not listen to that any more.  State and local governments formed entities to take care of our most vulnerable.  Today, we are told such things are not important.  Such things cannot be afforded.

Fair enough.  But, VUI believes our leaders tell us such because the vulnerable do not have lobbyists who give contributions and throw big parties for them.  Public service is about serving all the public, not just those who pay your bar tab.

And for those out there who say, “I take care of mine you take care of yours,”  think on this.  We all live here together.  When you shut an abused kid out of a chance, you create someone who we have to pay for in the criminal system later.  And, when you let someone abuse an old person, you just flat go against God, which so many politicians in this state claim to embrace.  Is that worth the money spent for some guy in the Department of Commerce to dine like a king?

Let’s be brutally honest.  There is no limited government champions anymore.  The Republicans, even in SC ,seem to be for who pays them to act and write bills that suit their business interests.  So, if there is to be no limited government anymore, then lets have a government that pays for the law enforcement, the social workers, the public educators, and even the health care workers to care for the kids and mama and them. After all, taking care of the kids and mama and them is as important to us as our guns.  Read the budget of South Carolina and make your own decisions.  We seem bought and paid for and the folks don’t have a chance.  Do not get VUI started on legislators and consulting fees that they take from big business.  Too bad some abused kids can not hire them to consult.  Those kids could really use some help getting funding for programs to help them.