The Republic of Yellowstone

If you have ever visited a national park (Yellowstone for example), you have undoubtedly seen signs or have been told to Not Feed The Bears.

Have you ever wondered why? It's probably pretty obvious.

From bebearawaresw.org spokesman, General Norman Schworzkopf lists some of the reasons:

1. Bears should never obtain human food, pet/livestock feeds, or garbage. Bears that receive these "food rewards" may become aggressive towards humans or cause property damage. To protect people and their property, these bears may have to be destroyed.
2. Wild bears have a natural fear of humans and will attempt to avoid people and developed areas fed bears do not!
3. Wild bears rely on natural foods such as berries and fish. Fed bears will abandon vital food sources for human foods and garbage!
4. Wild bears quickly become conditioned to handouts and will teach their cubs to do the same.
5. Wild bears fed along roads tend to stay near the road - increasing vehicle-animal accidents.

When camping or visiting bear country, there are some precautions so as to not have a run in with a bear
such as:
store food away from your sleeping area
keep food in "bear proof" containers
don't sleep in clothes that have food smell on them.

All this so that we can be spared injury from a bear and the bears can be spared injury from us. So how does this relate to anything that I normally post?

Well I came up with the idea for this post from my brother in law, Mark.

You see just as irresponsible it is to give hand outs to the bears (even though it may seem they are starving and emaciated), it is irresponsible for our government to give handouts to it's people.

In reference to the above bulleted quote

Fed bears will abandon vital food sources for human foods and garbage! "Fed" humans will abandon work and progress for hand outs and freebies.

Wild bears quickly become conditioned to handouts and will teach their cubs to do the same. People will come conditioned to not working and government subsidies they will propagate laziness through their posterity. (Which seems to be the most active reproducers).

Now I'm not saying that we should deprive our nations poorest and underfed, but that there are inherent problems with government providing for them.

Statistics from the US food and nutrition web site. (Food Stamps)
In 2000, it served 17.2 million people a month and cost $17.1 billion.
In 1995, it served 26.6 million people a month, and cost $24.6 billion.
In 1990, it served 20.1 million people and cost $15.5 billion.
In 1985, it served 19.9 million people and cost $11.7 billion.
In 1980, it served 21.1 million people and cost $9.2 billion.
In 1975, it served 17.1 million people and cost $4.6 billion.
In 1970, it served 4.3 million people and cost $577 million.
The program's all-time high participation was 27.97 million people in March of 1994.

Although to the government that is not that much money, what it is doing to the population is what is truly dragging down our country.