Our parents and grandparents left us a pretty good country. Its infrastructure is crumbling. It takes money, not simply desire, to fix it.

Population growth means that things for the common good get more expensive. More schools for more students. More teachers for more schools for more students. Larger sewage treatment plants. Larger ports and airports. Better rapid transit and bus lines. It takes money, not simply desire, to fix that.

Aphorisms about individual initiative are fine for inspiration. They aren't reality when it comes to running a country, though.

Cheers,
Scott.
(Who wonders why "Mr. 72 year old backpacker" is sitting around reading and commenting about Manny Pacquiao's tax rate.)