2008: The Year Americans Rejected Self-Reliance
By: Melanie Scarborough
Examiner Columnist
December 22, 2008
Looking back on 2008, one can only wonder: How did we get here? This was the year when the majority of Americans signaled their rejection of the nation’s founding ideals, electing as president the candidate who promised cradle-to-grave welfare, while mocking a vice presidential candidate who championed self-reliance and personal freedom. Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev told Richard Nixon in 1957, “Your grandchildren will live under socialism.” This was the year that proved him right.
Another adage obtained. We now know that the road to Hell and universal homeownership is paved with good intentions. For years, government has been pressuring banks to factor sympathy into loan-making decisions. Just because certain people lacked money, credit, citizenship papers, or a basic understanding of finances was no reason to deny them the right to own a home, or so the illogic went. This year we witnessed the inevitable result: high-risk borrowers defaulting on high-risk loans, triggering economic crises.
But not everything in 2008 was so predictable; some people offered happy surprises. Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, a left-wing Democrat and Obama devotee, cut back on state spending when there was a shortfall of state revenue rather than burden citizens with higher taxes or debt. Hillary Clinton set aside her strident, ruthless, imperious persona and ran a civilized presidential campaign.
Other individuals remained true to form in 2008. Caroline Kennedy stepped forward to carry on her family’s long-standing tradition of living (and occasionally dying) according to the belief that rules don’t apply to them – not the rule of law, not the rules of marriage, not the rules of nature. Kennedy has decided she wants to be a U.S. senator, but she isn’t interested in the grit and grime of campaigning. In characteristic Kennedy fashion, she thinks a senate seat should be hers for the asking.
Another legacy – Bill Clinton’s – was carried on in 2008 by Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, the most recent politician to illustrate the folly of electing sociopaths to public office. Lacking shame, they cannot be disgraced. Pathologically egocentric, they defend their actions at all costs, despite all evidence, and regardless of the damage they do. When Blagojevich gave his own podium-pounding speech last week, you almost expected to hear him insist, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”
At least one sociopath got his long-delayed due this year. Thank God and Nevada, O.J. Simpson finally went to prison. He should never have enjoyed 13 years of freedom after killing two people, but it still is immensely satisfying to picture that murderous imbecile in a cage.
This year also had its share of deserving winners – among them, Michael Phelps. The young man who said he would be happy to win just one Olympic medal went home draped in gold. Phelps represented Americans well. No scandal, no doping – just a heartening abundance of enthusiasm and excellence. In 2008, he bolstered the shrinking ranks of true sports heroes.
One of the big losers again this year was representative government. For example, after Americans – through their representatives – declined to bail out the automobile industry, the White House announced it would step in and supercede the will of the people. But then what did we expect? Giving the Treasury Secretary $750 billion to distribute as he sees fit was a corruption of democracy that was bound to be exploited.
Among the ways 2008 improved over 2007 was that this was a year almost completely devoid of news about Paris Hilton. Unfortunately, it still isn’t possible to stand in line at the grocery store without being assaulted by images of Britney Spears, who set an example again this year of how to do almost everything wrong.
Yet as the year ends, we owe the most to the people who did almost everything right: like those who searched for cures and fought the wars and grew the food and obeyed the laws. Almost none of them earned hundreds of millions of dollars, and their achievements weren’t chronicled by paparazzi.
Yet their efforts ensured that Americans reached the end of 2008 still the healthiest, safest, most prosperous people on the face of the earth. Not bad for a year’s work.
Examiner columnist Melanie Scarborough is an award-winning commentary writer whose work has appeared in more than two dozen newspapers, magazines, and books.
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