A Letter to Young Voters

You suggest that small government is preferable to big because it's "less oppressive". (Another way to put it is because it gives individuals more freedom.)

So what? If I don't have to work hard to get free stuff from big government (like healthcare, a college education, and a mortgage bailout, etc.) why should I opt for small Gov?

Seriously, tell me why it's in my best interest, or a single-parent welfare mom's, or a homeless guy's.

"Freedom", "Pride" and "Independence" are just words! Give me one GOOD reason why shouldn't I (or other folks like me who aren't so ambitious) punk the system too?

Dear Fructose:

You'd think that a socialist economy would be better for lazy people who want to live off the government dole. But in fact, even for the unambitious, a free society makes more sense in the long run. While you might be able to 'punk the system' for a while, the truth is that when you grow the government you are slowly killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

The US is currently the most productive and prosperous nation on the planet because people here get to keep more of what they earn. As you erode this system, we become less productive and prosperous as a nation, and in the long run, the entitlements get worse and worse. To understand this, look at the extreme: In the former USSR, everything was free, but toilet paper was like sandpaper, food was bland, housing was decrepit and the police could rape you, kill you or drag you off to prison with no explanation.

Now you might say we don't need to become the USSR, but when you look at it with long-term perspective, do you want to move our country in that direction?

In a prosperous free country, even with a part-time unskilled job (of your own free choice) you can afford a lifestyle that is not too bad. Companies aggressively compete for your pennies and give you 99 cent hamburgers and affordable cell phones. And who knows, you may decide to get passionate about a career one day and improve your lifestyle. Even an unambitious person would want to leave that option open for his or her future or for the future of their children.

Dear Fructose:

In fact, the question at hand is not what's better for you. As a voter you are a participant in shaping our society; an architect of the government. For a conscientious voter the pertinent question is what's better for society: Is it better to have a society of moochers, or a society of free producers?

Most people who have experienced, or at least learned about, oppression are appreciative of freedom. And this is the assumption upon which democracy is built: that people who take the trouble to vote desire a functioning, free society.

It's wrong to "vote your pocketbook" - otherwise we should all, each of us, vote to make ourselves kings and have the rest of the population serve us.

Respectfully,

Oops! That last comment was not from Point-Sharpener... it was from me, dbenrosen. I saw the post on an open computer, and I just submitted my comment without logging in.

Point-Sharpener, You really should log out so that other people don't post in your name...