What Type of Government does Israel Have?

To an outsider, the fierce dedication to freedom and self determination that is so deeply entrenched in American culture seems peculiar.  But that fundamental conviction that we are a free people, not just of tyranny from without but free of oppression from within as well affects every aspect of American life.  That sense of self will and self awareness is what makes American music, movies, cultural life and art to exciting and addictive around the world. 

To even mention the name of this government institution can set off waves of anxiety and stories of abuse and persecution that is unheard of for virtually any other governmental body in this country.  It’s really amazing the ability of three little words to instill fear in the hearts of an American citizen when those three little words are – Internal Revenue Service.

You have to wonder why the IRS strikes such fear into our hearts.  Part of it is the influence of the media, Hollywood and television.  The IRS makes a big target and many times the role of an IRS agent is depicted in movies as a heartless mercenary out to take away everything you own.  The specter of an IRS audit is feared with the same loathing of a root canal or torture by foreign spies. 

It really isn’t the IRS’s fault that the tax laws are complicated and hard to figure out.  If we want to fix that, we should go to our congressmen and elected officials.  The IRS is really in the same boat we are in.  They have to figure out the tax laws and then see to it that we live within them.  Blaming the IRS because we don’t like the tax laws or paying taxes in general is the old “bad news, kill the messenger” syndrome.

The results have been phenomenal.  Hundreds of thousands of young people have come forward to volunteer to serve their country and their fellow citizens through national service.  National service is a concept that at one time was a core value to all Americans.  At one time, children were taught that upon graduation from High School, every young person owed it to their country to serve at least two years of national service before starting family or their new careers.

It is easy to recognize the good being done by a service based on the tapping the power of volunteerism in the nation’s youth.  We have seen some dramatic examples of how Americans will pour out their service, their hard work, their physical resources and even their money to help their fellow Americans in times of need.  Out of some of the most devastating events of our nation’s history such as the 911 attacks and the horror of Hurricane Katrina, we have witnessed some of the most touching moments of human compassion and social consciousness as neighbor reached out to neighbor to help those affected by terrible tragedy.

The patriotism that takes root in our young people form their time in national service is not just the flag waving, song singing kind we see on display on July 4th.  It is a patriotism that we saw in World War II in our soldiers and in our forefathers that gave all to make the country great.  If national service can instill that kind of patriotism in our youth, we have no worries that America will not continue to be great for many decades to come.

Of course, the book itself is not free and the chances are that the business and/or the pitchman make their living from selling that book and not from free money from anyone.  But the reason that advertisement is appealing is that we have an urban myth that the government is overflowing with money that it is looking to give away if we can just know how to punch the right buttons.  This is the mystique of the system more formally known as government grants.

Another insider’s trick that the man in the question mark suit doesn’t want you to know is that you can find out all you could ever want to know about government grants for free.  The government wants you to know about these funds so they can find the most qualified businesses or nonprofit charities to help out.  You can go directly to the government web site on grants and use their search engine.  Use the .gov domain search tool on Google and you will find ample resources to guide you.  Another great resource on the web is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance which has the tools to find grants by topic and by your area of expertise,

The process of filling out the grant paperwork and submitting your proposal is a discipline in its own right that you may even have to seek professional help to do well.  But if you do well, use plenty of patience and your project is worthwhile, there is government out there to help you.  You just have to take the time to learn how to go after it.