My Dear Children, I Apologize

Dear Bigun and Little Critter,

As your mother, I've attempted to teach you personal responsibility and owning up to your mistakes. Sometimes I did that by example, like when I thought one of you had made a mess and it turned out to be your father. I'd apologize and ask for your forgiveness.

Other times it would take the form of long talks; ones that bored you, I know, but ones filled with words that I'd hope that you'd remember.

This time, I've failed you in a huge way, and I want to apoligize publicly for what I've done; not just for absolution, but to serve as The Bad Example you spend your life trying to avoid.

I'm sorry that the government is going to be taking so much of your future earnings. With one of you in college and the other in grade school, the burden on each of you will be felt differently, but you will each feel it.

Bigun, provided that you can actually afford to finish college, your earnings will immediately be cropped to pay for such things as mortgage bailouts of irresponsible borrowers, large public works projects that provide no lasting employment, dog parks in Maine (offered to entice that state's senators to vote for the bill,) disc golf courses in Austin, and a snowmaking facility in Minnesota.

Little Critter, honey, college may not even be in the cards for you. I know it's 8 years away at least, but before then, we may have to move in with Grandma and Paw Paw. By the time you finish school, they will still be around and not be dependent on Social Security for their income, because they were very smart and saved like demons in their working years.

Oops, forgot about that incredible mortgage-failure-driven market downturn here recently. Perhaps the retirement plans they slaved to build will provide very little income after all. However, somewhat generous Social Security benefits will still be paid to them, which could help support us; at least until they eventually succumb to the ailments of people in their eighties. By then, Medicaid will have begun to ration their health care, and they might not qualify to receive treatment because they will be deemed too old to treat or save, too spendy to waste money on. And baby, we can't depend on receiving any inheritance from them if they are refused treatment: they'll have had to sell everything before qualifying for the government care anyway.

So again, dear children, I'm sorry.

Sorry I knew what would happen and did not stop it.

Sorry your future paychecks will be scissored to the point where you'll never be financially independent, or free of government's greedy grasp. If, that is, you can find a job.

Sorry that my generation has stolen not just from you, but from your children-to-be as well.

Sorry my political activism did not convince as many people as I needed to in order to prevent this coming to pass.

Sorry that I took time off from advocating universal personal responsibility to work part time, go to your events, support your sports teams, see you in plays or behind the scenes, volunteer at your schools, teach others how to shop with coupons, attend Bible studies, teach your science and computer labs, run your school carnivals, cook your dinners and all the other "frivolous" things I did with my time.

Please forgive your mother who thought just bringing two responsible, kind-hearted, talented, warm and loving children into the world would be a great enough contribution. I had no idea that my legacy would not only be the two of you, but all the mess the grown-ups in this country made.