Just a Drop in the Bucket

Have you ever had a bathroom fixture that leaked slightly? It's only a drip or a drizzle and we always seem to put it off and dismiss it, because after all it's only a few drops, right? Then the water bill comes in and it's a little higher and we are concerned but then it's only a few dollars and in the larger scheme of things it's not that big of a deal and we are so busy. So we let it slide again. Eventually, however we get a water bill that is outrageously high. And what do we do? Well we call the water department of course and we complain and rant and tell them what thieves they are because everyone knows a drip or drizzle can't possibly use up that much water. But, in the end we fix the drip. It's usually pretty cheap. The next months water bill confirms that yes, a drip can use that much water. How? Because it is constant and relentless and it adds up little by little until the drips make up a pond.

This is what happens in the inevitable process of Liberty giving way to Tyranny. It starts slowly and they seem to have good intentions and we are all very busy and after all, how much harm can it really be? Of course the analogy fails when we get into specifics because in the case of losing our liberty, we are baited with programs that appear to be helpful and compassionate. As all government moves at a snails pace, by the time we see how incompetent a program is, there are already many citizens dependent on them and we don't have the strength of character to refuse them. Of course, that is the plan all along. And furthermore, the real ugly truth that the program eventually does way more harm than good is never fully explored by the masses. And so we ignore it, and we move on. Then, just as with the drip, it slowly increases with the addition of another unconstitutional program which steals even more of our liberty and taxes us even more and destroys even more citizens sense of self worth and achievement. Eventually, just as with the drip, we wake up some day and it is a flood and our very form of government and ability to achieve success and wealth and progress is so completely diminished that we have no choice but to turn to the ever expanding government for 'help' and 'support'. Of course the source of a drip will never dry up the pond now will it? It will only become a bigger pond, flooding more homes, destroying more property, rendering more citizens helpless and hopeless. The end is always the same, history shows it over and over again. Complete chaos and revolt against the very government that claimed to want to help and provide, but has only accomplished destruction of the very freedom and opportunity that could have provided for all.

Finally, just like the faulty fixture, it must be replaced. You cannot just slow a leak. It will not work for long. It will continue to get worse and worse. You must replace the entire worn out mechanism. In this case the mechanism is Liberalism. It cannot be tweaked. It cannot be slowed. It must be completely replaced. The replacement mechanism is Liberty and free market Capitalism, which has brought more prosperity and freedom throughout the world than any other form of human endeavor. Make no mistake, the results of this analogy are coming to pass. And the flood is real. And the damage will be catastrophic. America with all of it's Tea Party protests and forwarded emails about how our government is out of control; is nevertheless still dismissing the flood as only a drip, a minor irritation that a little plumbers putty will solve. The resulting flood destroys lives and destroys a form of government that has saved multitudes worldwide from despotism and death. Without this form of government the toll on the world will be apocalyptic. And we ignore this at the peril of not ourselves; we will continue to enjoy some freedom, but at the peril of future generations. Our children and their children and their children. It is our shame to be the generation that both knew the drip was serious and chose to ignore it instead of replacing the defective part of an otherwise perfect fixture.

Drip.....drip......drip......drip.....

by: Keith D. Rodebush