Promote: verb: contribute to the progress or growth of
Provide: verb: supply means of subsistence; earn a living; provide what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
After reading the above definitions, the Preamble to our Constitution makes clear the intent of our Founding Fathers. Unfortunately, such clarity has been lost over time, as forces within the country’s political framework have figured out how to buy votes by taking advantage of one of the basest human characteristics: laziness, or sloth. It is notable that “sloth” is one of the seven deadly sins, and it could very well prove to be the death of our country if we citizens do not wake up and take action.
Our government is ordained to do the tasks listed in the Preamble. Ordained invest with ministerial or priestly authority; order by virtue of superior authority; decree
The way I see it, “ordination” in this case and following these definitions implies that the Founding Fathers saw this cause as something higher than, “Gee, this would be a good thing to do!” Their lives, and the life of the country to which they were giving birth, were on the line. This was not a time for looseness of terms. Semantics mean something. The duties were specific and the methods were definite. Specifically, the government was to PROVIDE for the common defense and to PROMOTE the general welfare. Two different words were used, with two different meanings. This seems to have been overlooked, forgotten, or intentionally ignored by today’s liberals, especially the welfare part.
Promoting the general welfare never meant “pay the poor to be poor”. It never meant “give tax breaks to those who haven’t paid taxes”. It doesn’t mean “punish the providers and reward those who will not take care of themselves”.
Let’s look at promoting the general welfare by boosting the economy in ways that are effective. For example, cutting governmental spending. The less the government spends, the less it requires in taxes. That doesn’t mean it still won’t want to suck the last penny out of your pocket as you suck your last living breath – or even after. It’s merely a start.
Let’s see if the general welfare can be promoted by limiting welfare to those who truly cannot work or care for themselves. Are you able-bodied? Get a job. Can’t find a job? Set up an agency to help people start up their own businesses. Train them in how to handle money, market their services, and deal with customers. Give the Small Business Administration more money for small business start-up loans. Some of these need only be micro-loans. And don’t just get them started. Hold their hands for the first year or two, since these people may just have a hard time getting out of bed consistently for a while. Hopefully, this will break the cycle of poverty.
Promote the general welfare by encouraging teenagers to help out with the family businesses, if available, and if they are not involved with extracurricular school activities. Kids with jobs learn responsibility, how to deal with people, and how to handle money. And while they are working, they are not taking, selling, or sharing drugs. Ideally, anyway. Teach classes in school as to how money REALLY works, not just how the liberals think the economy should run. Maybe classes on problem-solving – not mathematical equations, but critical thinking skills, such as: “Bad weather has prevented you from working outside this week, which means you will only earn 30% of what you usually bring home. How do you handle this setback and still pay your bills?” The parents aren’t teaching these skills, but maybe a volunteer from a local business will. My hope is that eventually these classes can be removed from the curriculum, because society itself will be infused with these skills, and they can be absorbed and learned just like learning English from infancy. Yes, I can dream, can’t I?
These are just a few ideas, but the difference here is that the government, and hopefully society, will PROMOTE an atmosphere that will encourage the general welfare to improve. We were never guaranteed equal outcomes, only decreed to have equal opportunities. Our government was never meant to ensure that people of unequal talents and motivation would receive the same rewards, but we can work towards the goal of ensuring that each unequal person can strive to achieve their personal best. While real life may never achieve the written word, we can work towards the lofty goals put down in ink by brave men.