Wish Declaration of Independence Included Work

Speaking of entitlements, there are somethings we all think we are entitled to.

Like an education.

And, perhaps health care. I saw a bumper poster saying, "Health care isn't a luxury" the other day.

But what about work? I never hear anybody complaining to the government that they have the right to a job. They might say they have the right to receive public assistance when they can't find a job, but they don't often demand the job, itself.

Wish they would. Now, it doesn't need to be the government giving them the job, but they should have a job, every last one of them who wants to work.

This is the 21st Century, you know, we are an advanced society. Surely, we have had enough time to figure out that we can put everyone to work. Surely, with all our technology and advancements, all our public assistance and all our programs that seem to cover everyone in need, surely we can give everyone a job.

Everyone who is willing and able, 100 percent employment. This is not an outlandish idea, it is an idea whose time has come, or should have come.

Now, I don't know that part of our "entitlement mentality" can't be traced right back to the Declaration of Independence. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

All entitlement are not bad. Feeling entitled to life and liberty is not bad. Actually, feeling entitled to an education and to health care probably isn't bad.

And work. Work should be an entitlement.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are entitled to an education, to health care and to work." That's a sentiment I probably should consider more before fully endorsing, but it sounds good as I type at the moment.

And, work, for sure, I believe should be an entitlement.

Now, for those of you already pointing your fingers at me, starting to suggest I am a socialistic communist by wanting the government to provide everyone jobs . . . hold off. Of the three (education, health care and work), work is the least likely to need the government.

We can have 100 percent employment (of those willing and able) without too many jobs being of the government-created variety. We already have what we call philanthropists, rich people who give to charities. We just need to call their attention to the need we have for them to create jobs. Hey, over here, we need to say.

Tweak their thinking on what it is they are giving to.

And, give they do. America is loaded with rich people donating and giving and contributing and then giving some more. They are patriotic and civic minded. What makes you think they won't create a few companies to fill a civic need? I think that for the asking they'll do it. Set it up so they have the same incentives they have in giving to charities, and give them public recognition for what they do, lauding their names, and they'll do it. There would be a lot of them doing it without tax breaks and without recognition, but give them those to make sure it works.

Make it tax deductible -- unless they turn a profit. No need to give tax deductions to for-profit ventures.

Lest it go unnoticed, these are the people who are our experts in job creation. When you have a need -- any need -- it is always wise to turn to the experts in that field.

In this case (employment), that would be the rich. Let's solve our unemployment by having those who have the know-how provide the solution.


Let's appeal to our rich to be civic-minded in creating companies that may not necessarily turn a profit, companies geared not toward making money but providing jobs. Let's put a company at each pocket of unemployment, creating one for the beggars and panhandlers downtown, another for those on any Indian reservation lacking jobs, another for those on TANF (the common welfare program: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), another for those on Unemployment Insurance, and another for those in our homeless shelters.

Every time we find a pocket of unemployment, let's put a job there. Let's take the jobs to the unemployed.

Let's put America to work, or at least put Utah to work, and let's do it the American way, through free enterprise.