Optimism Versus Pessimism

We are still under “stay at home“ orders and I sense the frustration is building. There is no right answer. I don’t know how to quell the fears of those who are calling with real life problems. 

My heart breaks for families who have lost loved ones. My heart also breaks for those who are suffering because they can’t work to provide for their families. Many see a lifetime of sacrifice to build a business going up in smoke. I’m saddened by the vitriol from those who think that you must want people to die if you have sympathy for those who are suffering financially. Believe me, I have been the recipient of that vitriol. 

I am an eternal optimist. As a Christian, I know God is in control. And I know that this too will pass. But it is painful to watch.

I read an article about two types of political thinking, optimism and pessimism. The author explained, Optimistic political thinking is based on the belief in the inherent goodness of people. If they are liberated to pursue their own happiness, they will maximize that goodness to pursue their own happiness and serve others in the process. Pessimistic political thinking is born by a dim view of human nature in which people have to be controlled or restrained. If you give them too much freedom, they will use it to do evil. For pessimists, the only way to stop evil is to strengthen the state.

I am positively a political optimist. I believe people left to pursue their own dreams are the best asset to our fellow human beings. I’m not a fan of the government but a fan of the individual and freedom. I prefer the government to do only the things prescribed in the Constitution and leave free people to pursue their fate. 

I will be returning to Raleigh April 28. This is to be a very short session, a few days. We will be voting out a COVID Relief package. The agreement is that we will only vote for items of consensus. If there is disagreement over any item, it will be removed. As Health Chair and HHS Appropriations on the Senate side, I met and negotiated with my Senate Democrat counterpart. We reached agreement on what the Senate package would contain. Now we are in negotiations with the House chairs to produce a final package. 

The federal government is sending money to the states to deal with this financial chaos. We’re not certain of the exact amount but it’s a lot of money. My hope is that we will be prudent in spending and wait to see what direct appropriations are sent directly from the federal government. Until we know how much hospitals and medical providers have received directly from three federal packages, we cannot really know what the needs are. The same is true for all DHHS needs, child care, and behavioral health. Education is also receiving direct funds as well as food and shelter agencies. The needs will be great. That much we know. Some of my colleagues have big spending plans and if there is money they want to spend it. I think that would be irresponsible until we have details.

We also must remember that the federal government has a tremendous debt. The only money they have is borrowed or printed and at some time the bills will come due. We are living way above our means and sending the bills to our grandchildren. At some point, it has to stop. Right now, I am thankful for the funds that the federal government has allocated to North Carolina but money, in the end, comes out of the pockets of hard working citizens. If they cannot work, those pockets are empty.