Leroy Fick: Just What Is Wrong With America Today

Leroy Fick, the the two-million dollar Michigan lottery winner who is still on food stamps, is in reality no one more significant than just another face in the crowd; yet he is the very embodiment of why our country is headed down the road to massive failure like Rome.

Ancient Rome - the Roman republican establishment which our foundation was modeled after - was symbolic of what can be achieved by a non-despotic, (relatively) free society two millenia ago - until the Second Triumvirate - which signalled the start of bigger more despotic and intrusive government, providing social assistance among other follies for poltical gains similar to the social democracies of present day Europe.  Perhaps not so coincidentally, it was also when all semblence of morality died in the ancient empire.

Roman history instructs poignantly on both the genius of prudent government during all its glory and the folly of empire for its final four centuries.  During that latter period, Rome produced its share of Leroy Ficks along with disastrous leadership.  Leroy Ficks, like too many in his situation (minus the lottery winnings), is the display of selfishness of the dependency class who is always looking for ways to suckle from the government regardless of legitimate need for assistance.

The most important lesson for us is that it is the Leroy Ficks and their enablers (progressives of this world) who have directly led to the fall of great empires; and we are no more special than the great Roman empire was during its heyday to avert the same fate. 
The fate that awaits us can be found in history for those who believe in the adage that those who do not remember history are bound to repeat it.