Help the Poor Help Themselves

To the Editor:
Often we hear the noble call to “help the poor,” but very seldom to we hear the call to “help the poor help themselves.” There is a big difference between these two calls. It is the timeworn belief that giving a man a fish sandwich everyday makes him dependent on the giver. But teaching that same man how to fish for himself makes him independent of the giver.
Most federal and state programs aimed at helping the poor are not designed to help them eventually help themselves. Mainly because most, if not all, of such government programs come with numerous strings attached. And these strings hinder or sometimes even neutralize any “help” provided by the program itself.
Many administrators of these government programs admit that bureaucracy, red tape, confusing and duplicate paperwork and reports, and burdensome regulations are overwhelming and stifling – which makes an already difficult job that much harder.
There are many people who are poor and down and out for a variety of reasons. Some are self-induced, others are through no fault of their own. As Americans we believe that helping the poor, regardless of how they got that way, is the right thing to do. Yet one cannot ignore the fact that common sense must accompany our compassion. If not, we simply labor in vain.
A large number of government funded programs aimed at helping the poor suffer more than burdensome regulations and red tape; they are also permeated with progressive political agendas.
A wise man once said, “The poor you will always have with you,” or something like that. I believe that to be true. And somewhere in the bowels of history another profound statement was made, “A nation’s soul and strength is determined not by its military or economic power, but by how it treats its poor.” I also believe that to be true.
So the national debate over helping the poor is valid, the only argument is how to do that. As a conservative I think it is imperative that those who can teach, teach; those who can instruct, instruct; those who are care givers, give care, and those who have compassion and love, give compassion and love; and finally those given charge of money for the poor be honest and dedicated to actually using such funds to help the poor help themselves. This I think is the right thing to do. Otherwise we do labor in vain.