A Glimpse Of The Future?
Posted: Friday, June 05, 2009
by Michael Ramzy
delusionthread.com
Another beautiful day in America and there is a small story in a small newspaper in California which unsettled me more than it should have. The paper is the San Francisco Chronicle, the writer is Ken Sheperd, and the story is a tiny look at a homeless man.
Sounds simple, right?
No, the story isn't about how the homeless man came to be homeless, but rather how the city of San Francisco tried to prevent him from pulling himself out of his station. This unsettled me since I wonder in this time of Huge Government if something like this will become commonplace (if it isn't already).
Until the government comes calling and slaps him with a charge of $491 for a vendor's permit. That's right, a permit to shine shoes. Had he been standing on the corner with a cup, or harassing customers at an ATM, he would need no such permit since this behavior by the homeless is greeted with a blind eye by the city (most cities, actually). But since he was working as a 'businessman', he needs a permit. The poor guy had almost $600 saved to get off the streets and into a room, but that dream went bust thanks to the city. So, he went downtown to get his permit.
It gets better.
Since he had no valid ID, the city refused the money at first. So, Mr. Moore had to get an ID (more money to the government, of course), then pay for the permit.
This is government stupidity on a very small scale, and this by itself is a very small story. And yet, I wonder if this is a look into the future? I wonder if one day all of us will have to get 'permits' to do things such as mow our lawn, go to the movies, etc. And I wonder if the government will try to keep people beholden to it and not allow them to live up to their own dreams. I mean, if less people needed the government, the government would be less powerful, right? Less intrusive, right? And that's a good thing, right?
I'm not too worried, to be honest, in spite of how our government is getting bigger (and bolder) everyday. But it does make me wonder . . .
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Yeah Mike, if you want to build a structure on your property such as a porch or what have you you need to get a permit. Land of the free "big laugh"Well, we're still free . . . we just have to pay for it more. Not in blood, of course, but in bribes - er, I mean, money to the government.
If you think we live in a free nation why do we have to spend 40 hours a week working in a dictatorshiP?If you think you own your home you will soon learn otherwise if you do not pay your propery taxes.If you live in Pensacola Beach, Florida...you need a permit to plant one daisy, to paint your bedroom or to hang a hook for a garden hose on your house.Welcome to the New America!Actually, it's been like this for awhile now, needing a permit for everything under the sun. To be fair, though, sometimes (not often) it isn't a government entity but a homeowners association that won't let you plant that tree, or use a specific kind of grass, etc. Still, we have to feed the bureaucracy, right? We have to keep all of those government people working,
Actually hard for me to believe this kind of bureaucracy occurs. Just about unbelievable. I hope that leaders, from local to national start remembering it’s about people not a government machine. You brought out an excellent bit of information with this article.
We can only hope. Thanks for reading and the comment. I have to say, though, I don't hold out much hope since it is in the government's interest to keep its citizenry beholden to it.
Michael, you'd think San Francisco would be thrilled that another productive member of society could pay taxes and help finance the system. Oh, wait, that line of thinking requires common sense, and God knows we don't want our government officials to have any of that! :P Thanks for bringing out this story and reminding us that the government may be of the people and by the people, but these days doesn't seem to be much for the people.It seems those in government want it both ways, though, which is pretty much delusional: they need people to pay into the system, and they need people to be under their thumb and enslaved by the system.Well, maybe enslaved is too strong a word, but you get the idea. Thanks for reading and commenting.
This reminds me of a situation in our area, where a single father was working two jobs trying to keep his children fed. He then heard that the government was offering grants for people to go to university, so he applied. All he wanted to do was get a better education so he could find a proper job, not the two lousy jobs he was doing. He was told that in order to get the grant he would first have to have been on welfare. He said that he could have been on welfare, but was too proud, so worked his butt off at two jobs in order to survive. "Sorry," the government said, "you don't qualify for the grant."I hear stories such as this all of the time. And it is no wonder many people take the easy way out: give up and live off of the government. This is probably the most under-reported issue today: not welfare fraud by individuals (which is really a tiny fraction of recipients) but the gigantic amount of waste and stupidity inherent in the system.
I'm wondering, what about those who have a permit? Is it fair to them to let someone shine shoes without a permit? Why in the world would you REQUIRE a permit to SHINE SHOES?!?!?I hear you, Ken, and you bring up a good point: if a permit is needed for something, everyone should have to get one. I agree with you completely, and yet this particular story is a little different in that this isn't some guy out to compete with the other shoe-shiners to corner the market or anything, this guy just wants to make some money to get off of the street.It reminds me of how little kids can be fined for having a lemonade stand on a sidewalk: of course they aren't out to put 7-11 out of business, and of course they should have a health certificate, yet . . . you see where I'm going with this?Anyway, thanks as always for your comments. And yeah, I wonder about the permit to shine shoes, especially in San Francisco (of all places). This is the same city where I once was told to move 15 feet away from a restaurant to smoke my cigarette (back when I smoked), and I had to step over someone shooting up right there on the sidewalk. And people looked at me as though I was the pariah! Go figure.
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