I would like to know what the results of a poll of the population of the US would be as to how many people really believe that the Government knows what is best for us. I am sure I would be surprised. How else could one explain all the things that our leaders are doing in the name of “what’s best” for the country. Just look at all the stimulus money handed out so far. Look at all the payroll protection plan money paid out to companies so far. Look at the new bill that is going to unleash even more money for our benefit. Look at the money supposedly for infrastructure, look at the money for childcare. How about the $1,100 dollars given to each immigrant coming into our country? How about the talk of reparations for slavery? Someone pointed out that if the Government had given every family in the US a million dollars it would be far less than the amount of money given away so far. Do you think you could have benefited from being given a million dollars? Does the Government really know best how to control Covid virus? Has the lockdown really been for out benefit? Has the vaccine really been that effective? If so, why are we going to need a booster shot every year for the rest of our lives? Is the eviction moratorium benefiting landlords all over the country? I can only figure that most of the population must think that the Government has our best interests at heart in all the decisions that have been made and for all the money that has been given away and by all the presidential mandates that have been signed into law. Or is there something else going on?

When I was in high school, I became interested in chess. It is such a strategic game as it teaches you how to think logistically as well as learning how to plan your moves in advance. There was one classmate that I played against once. He was probably the smartest person in our whole school. I thought that I was good until halfway through the game with him. It was the worst beating I ever suffered. I was humiliated by him. I just could not escape his strategy. Every move he made seemed to put me in a position where I would have to make a choice to lose one of two chess pieces. Almost every move would cost me a player on the board. It was killing me. I could not come back against this guy. I lost horribly to him. He really was much smarter than I at looking ahead and making me choose which piece I would sacrifice, because he made sure that I was going to lose something every time he made a move. Talk about being placed between a rock and a hard spot.

I wonder if our Government is playing the same game. Here is what I mean by that. On one hand, helping the unemployed be giving them extra money can be a good thing. There is no doubt that some people really needed that money to make ends meet. On the other hand, a percentage of people refused to go back to work when their jobs opened back up because they were making more money on unemployment than when working, so why work. I personally know people who refused to go back to work and would rather stay home. So, if you speak against the Government hand out for those on unemployment, you might be seen as speaking against helping people in need. Worst yet, you might find yourself speaking against the Government for trying to help. Look at the mess on our borders. We had an avalanche of immigrants come across at the news that our president was going to do away with the wall. It totally overwhelmed our border towns. Now the Government not only has opened the door but is putting many of them in hotels and giving them money to start a new life. The residents of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona would tell you it has been a total nightmare, but if you speak against it, you might be seen as unloving and intolerant of those who wish to come to our country and escape the problems of their own country. After all, they are just looking for a better life, right? How about the battle over transgender women in sports? Now the government is close to stepping in again to give rights to anyone wanting to become a woman and play in women’s sports. If one speaks out against that, they could be seen as speaking against transgenders in general. See what I mean? In almost every situation where the Government is involved or making decisions or handing down laws, you might find yourself between a rock and hard place if you try to take a position against it. In the end, I get the feeling that our Government wants everyone to believe without question that everything that they are doing is for the good of us all. I just have to careful now how I disagree, or I might be labeled as dissident. I wonder how long before the Government decides that it might be best for everyone to do away with those that disagree.