The commonality of Tony Snow and Elizabeth Edwards

There is one undisputed statistic that always holds true whether you are Democrat, Republican, liberal or conservative and that is that ten out of ten people die. In the last week, we have heard the news that both Tony Snow and Elizabeth Edwards have an incurable form of cancer. Both cancers were in remission, both cancers have come back with a vengeance. When cancer enters the bones, it can be an excruciating ordeal. Both individuals must recognize their own mortality regardless of their pecuniary resources.

I never thought much good about the politics of John Edwards and his two Americas. Jesus once said "the poor will always be with us." So in a sense, the United States will always have two Americas. But the great thing about America is that you do not have to stay poor. There is always a way out by the choices you make in this great country of ours. I tell my kids they do not have to play the lottery, because by being born in the United States, they have already won the lottery. One in four people of the world live in absolute poverty. This is not because of a dearth of resources in the world, but it is because of the human condition (i.e.: greed, corruption, political instability, etc). Education, perseverance and a good work ethic allows everyone to make it in this country. But, it’s too bad that much of the youth don't realize it until it’s too late. The liberals, however, believe that the ones who make it by following the rules should pay for the bad choices of others in this country. The ones we should take care of are the truly disabled, and others who may find themselves in a situation where they need a helping hand albeit temporarily. My wife is from Nicaragua, and if you are born poor in Nicaragua, that is where you stay. There are but a few exceptions, but in those third world scenarios, the only way to make money is through political connections, owning your own business or through the most pervasive way, corruption.

With my children, higher education is not a choice it is an assumption (that is it is assumed they are going to college). If they make the choice of not going - that is their decision - it is not the government's responsibility to bail them out. Within my own family, I would probably be more of a Democrat, because I find myself doing things I would not have done in the past (ie: helping my kids out of difficult situations when they find they screwed something up because of a lack of their own acumen). But, the Democrat mentality should stay in one’s own family.

The inclination when you are poor is to lean towards philosophies such as Socialism, Marxism and Communism, and dictatorships that encourage such philosophies. This is because the poor look to someone who will help them out of their current situation, and it also fosters the hope that the wealth will be shared by all not just the rich. Socialism might work in a utopian society, but we do not live in a utopian society. We live in a world where avarice and covetousness are the norm. Socialism in its truest form has proven time and time again to be ineffective. Where capitalism allows the individual to rise above his/her circumstance depending on his/her own ambition, socialism foments laziness and corruption directly attributable to the human condition.

I digressed a little. It is hard to understand the decision process that the Edwards must have gone through to continue John Edward’s run for the presidency. Maybe he truly does desire to lead this country through these difficult times even though he is misguided. But, in any event even though I disagree with 99% of the politics of Edwards, my heart goes out to Elizabeth. I have a neurological disorder and as I get older and the disorder progresses, I feel my own mortality. She must realize that her life will no longer be as long as she would like. My heart also goes out to the family of Tony Snow. I like Tony Snow.

So in the end what is it that counts. Family, faith, and integrity are what count the most, because when it comes time to meet your creator, I want to be able to say to our creator the words the apostle Paul said in the book of Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day."