Congress: Trustees of Hopes and Dreams?

December 31, 2008

Tucked inside yesterday’s Washington Post was a small story with big insights into the way liberals think about government. The story was about Rahm Emmanuel’s resignation from the House of Representatives as he prepares to become Barack Obama’s chief of staff.

Here’s the relevant paragraph which quotes Emmanuel as saying to his Illinois 5th district constituents, “I am grateful for the opportunity to represent the hopes and dreams of a quintessentially American district.”

The key phrase is “hopes and dreams.” I don’t put my hopes and dreams in any politician, much less government. Do children wake-up in the morning hoping and dreaming that their congressman will provide all of their needs? I suspect they don’t even in socialist countries, which unfortunately America seems bent on becoming.

Hopes and dreams are about vision, hard work, education and right decisions. Only then can hopes and dreams be fulfilled. No politician can do more for you than you can do for yourself. Happy New Year!

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.