Virginia’s elected Republican representatives have one thing
going for them, predictability. When the economic times get tough, social
service programs are never too far from the Republican chopping block.
Corey A. Stewart (R-At Large), chairman of Prince William
Board of County Supervisors, outlined $9.6 million in possible cuts in a letter
to fellow supervisors.[1]
If enacted, funds for the Prince William County health department, substance
abuse treatment for jail inmates, and the Juvenile Court Services Unit, among
other services, would be cut.
As a rationale for these proposed cuts, Stewart said in his
letter that “uncertainty created…at the federal and state levels,”[2]
including cuts in spending for defense and tax increases, highlights the need
to “rein in” the county’s budget.
Not surprisingly, Stewart stated that his “initial instinct
is skepticism about social government.”[3]
Of course, because if I don’t need social service programs, no one else should,
right?
The mindset shared by Stewart is as mind-boggling as it is
ensconced in ideological narrow-mindedness.
First of all, social service programs do not necessarily
lead to dependency on the part of those they serve. Further, social service
programs are not “socialistic,” they are filling the gaps left behind by the
break of America’s communities by the very system which Stewart and company so
blindly extol.
Secondly, many social service programs are a positive factor
in Virginian society, helping individuals overcome problems that might
otherwise go unresolved (e.g., drug use among inmates). But individuals like
Stewart would no doubt argue that social service programs like the one
mentioned directly above only provide incentives for individuals to not take
individual initiative, to not try to help themselves.
The free-market idea prevalent in our society is convenient
for individuals who are already in privileged socio-economic positions. For
those who are not (e.g. minorities, immigrants, etc), the pull away from social
service programs and towards a more “let do” philosophy of economic practice is
a harbinger of further hardship.
Of course, social service programs assist all sectors of
society. But it is no surprise that white America has consistently been calling
for removing government involvement in almost all areas of life.
That said, rolling back social service programs is not a
permanent solution to the country’s economic woes. Instead, public officials
like Steward are using the uncertainly in D.C. as a whipping horse to push
through their ideological desires. But Virginia shouldn’t buy it.
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