Joe McAdory: Independence? Tell that to the creditors

We celebrated the anniversary of our nation’s independence last week with fireworks, food and festivities. American flags were hoisted high and images of the Statue of Liberty with colorful pyrotechnics choreographed to the tune of Stars and Stripes Forever dominated evening cable news programming.

Freedom. Liberty. Independence. All beautiful things.

But let’s not fool ourselves. As much as we celebrate our independence and individual rights we enjoy by living in the Land of the Free, we are evolving into a nation of dependence.

We are dependent on foreign oil.

We are dependent on the government for scores of social programs.

Large banks became dependent on the government by accepting billions in bail out funds. By doing so, the federal government has more control in what happens at financial institutions, thus, partially stripping those they kept afloat of their own, capitalistic independence. Hopefully these banks can buy back their freedoms and repay the feds.

Some U.S. automobile manufactures became dependent the government’s helping hand when they went belly-up in the wallet.

I am dependent on caffeine in the morning, and I am dependent on sleep aids at night.

We are dependent far too often on imported products manufactured under the cost-cutting method of cheap labor. American-made products are cherished at home, but why are most televisions, VCRs, appliances, garments and even children’s toys we purchase created overseas?

We are dependent on remote controls to work our television sets.

We are dependent on cell phones.

We are dependent on bottled, purified water, not what flows from the earth.

We are dependent on benefit programs to cover health costs.

We are dependent on the government to deliver unemployment checks, welfare and retirement benefits. They are ours for the taking. After all, we pay for such programs through years of income taxes.

But the more dependent we become on our government for services, the less power we have ourselves.

Dependence reduces our own capabilities to provide for, or do for, ourselves and creates the attitude “why work for it when it’s going to be given to me?”

How free are we? That depends upon how dependent we allow ourselves to become — and how much debt we accrue. Pay your bills on time. Don’t let credit card bills from ill-advised spending hold you hostage.

This is a beautiful country and freedom is a beautiful thing. There are millions of people across the planet who would relish the opportunities and freedoms we enjoy.
Let’s maintain our individual independence through hard work, fiscal responsibility and the will to succeed.

Joe McAdory is editorial page editor for the Opelika-Auburn News. He can be reached at 737-2549 or jmcadory@oanow.com