Japan is Growing up, will we?

Excellent column from the NYT last week by Ryu Murakami on the real story behind the landmark election in Japan a couple of weeks ago where the ruling party of the last 40 some odd years was thrown out.

Some highlights from the column:

The Japanese people are realizing that no government has the power to fix their problems. But this is a good thing — Japan is finally growing up

What a wonderful lesson that needs to be taught from Kindergarten up. Rugged self reliance and freedom are the hallmarks of a great nation, not dependence and subservience.

The depressing truth is hitting home. Though one stratum of Japanese society may benefit from the change in government, others may be hurt. Major corporations may be rescued with tax cuts while workers’ wages remain stagnant. If the minimum wage is raised, then corporations will shift production overseas.

The days when everything worked like a dream and everyone’s standard of living kept rising are over, and have been for a long time. Now that there is no longer enough money, the Japanese public has to make some hard choices.

Exactly. We desperately need to wake up in this country to the fact that WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY! Our government is printing or borrowing money from overseas to finance the largess they are incompetently attempting to bestow on us. This is a maelstrom and we are swimming to the bottom of the hole!

As I have posted here before, prior to ANY new Federal programs, we need to first repair/replace/address the problems we have already created for ourselves with the entitlement programs in place. Those decisions will not be easy, but they can be done in an equitable fashion if we address them now. Failing to do so is a certain train wreck. With examples like the USSR, which I posted on earlier, and Japan staring us in the face, what kind of liberal Koolaid do you have to drink to think that our experience will be any different?

Hat tip GSJr.