Your First House
Most of us saved up money for a long time to be able to afford to buy our first house. First of all, back in the day, you had to have good savings and cash flow even to qualify for a loan. You also wanted to put at least 20% down so you didn’t have to pay for mortgage insurance. The first few years were lean and mean, as your new house probably needed some repairs and you might find, as I did, that you didn’t have enough lamps to light the place, among many other lacks. It was a tough grind, but in the end, you had a home.
The Government Scam
If you lost money in the ‘80’s or in 2008, it was the fault of bad government. I worked for a bank in the first round. Banks were told they needed to start giving loans to people who previously wouldn’t have qualified. Things got worse as the new century rolled around. Liar loans and loans to people who had no savings and irregular income become common. Of course, at some point, those borrowers went delinquent and they lost their homes. Did that serve anyone? Rent-to-own options might have worked better for them, but that wasn’t often an option.
Still, these policies, designed to help out the poor, (and as part of the Left’s racist scam), became an entitlement. We saw this in recent goals to ensure every homeless person a house. While getting them off the street is a laudable goal, it should come with significant responsibility, such as starting (and completing) treatment programs for drug and alcohol problems, going on meds for psychological problems and finally, training for a job. The goal should never be simply putting a roof over the heads of people unwilling to do anything for themselves. It should only ever be to help them achieve financial independence as they work and earn money and become responsible citizens.
The Left’s Real Goal
While some might think the Left is compassionate, more so than the Right who might argue against free housing, their goal is not to help people. Adults should work and be responsible. Instead, by making people dependent on government largess, you turn them into slaves. Sure, the plantation may seem a little nicer, but you have ceded all your rights and power to politicians. Try getting off the dole; you’ll find they aren’t reaching out a hand to help you. If they give you a fish, they do not want you fishing. Greta Thunberg would prefer you ate worms and didn’t mine the ocean for food.
California -Leading the Way in Stupidity
Meet the latest act of stupidity in California—ACA10. This bill claims to be compassionate and generous, assuring everyone in the state a “right” to a house. It states, “the state recognizes the fundamental human right to adequate housing for everyone in California.” Not only that, but you should have, based on international standards, a right to:
1. Security of tenure – you can’t be kicked out because you’re an awful tenant.
2. Availability of services, material and infrastructure – I think this means you must be located near things you need, such as drug dealers.
3. Affordability – in CA terms, this could even mean free.
4. Accessibility – that always means whatever you want it to mean. And it will cost.
5. Habitability – again, as determined by the resident, it could mean that it has so many rooms, bathrooms, and amenities
6. Location – determined to mean you can have a house in any location you desire. I would like the state to build me a mansion in Atherton, one of the most expensive jurisdictions in CA.
7. Cultural adequacy – again, anything the person thinks it is.
What country actually has these standards? And who owes anyone a house? In fact, studies prove that housing the unhoused (homeless) doesn’t fix the problem. They don’t get off drugs or alcohol or on meds, (if psychotic), nor do they train to work. No, instead, they live off your hard-earned money, leaving you less. How many of us would work as hard as we do if we knew the government would take even more of it to provide a great lifestyle for those who refuse to work?
How You Vote Matters
We all like to think of ourselves as compassionate and generous. This makes sense when we pull out our checkbook (or credit card) to donate money to a cause, or work for a charity that matters to us. It’s easy to feel your heartstrings pulled when a bill comes out that seems to fix a problem. However, when it comes to giving people free stuff, it NEVER works. This is the old problem of giving someone a fish instead of teaching them how to get their own fish. And people never value free stuff the way they value the things they earn.
Keep in mind that charities are doing the right thing in housing – invest in them. Habitat for Humanity requires recipients to do sweat labor to earn their house. Tunnels to Towers does give housing to vets and others who have been seriously injured in the line of duty, but these are people who would otherwise spend their lives in costly hospitals. When they can, these recipients find ways to give back and even work. They understand the value of the gift and remember, they already paid their dues.
Do not vote anymore for freebies; the cost to you is more than you can afford. At some point, the people riding on your back will kill you; how many can you carry? Read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand to learn why the policy of free has never worked. And for me, when I’ve given free coaching, the client NEVER does anything with it. When I charge, even a discounted rate, the client soars. Work makes us great.