1Declaration: Free Markets, Free People, Free Minds

Libertarian Presidential hopeful Bob Barr issued a press release today stating that if left alone Americans will solve social problems better than government can. The best way for government to solve social problems is by getting out of the way, cutting spending, and cutting taxes.

This is an idea I have always supported. When government gets entrained in the business of providing welfare governmental power increases and erodes individual liberties and the effectiveness of the private sector of providing more cost effective solutions. Government should remain neutral to all groups providing a fair and reasonable form of governance. Providing social welfare to one group at the cost of another group through higher taxation does not retain the neutrality government should foster in order to preserve the idea that "all men are created equal." Governmental biases favor the erosion individual choice and Liberty.

One of America’s great strengths has always been the willingness of Americans to organize to solve social problems,” notes Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate for president. The great French classical liberal Alexis de Tocqueville commented on American social activism nearly two centuries ago in his classic Democracy in America. “We see this same commitment today, with the news that Americans donated more than $300 billion to charity last year, a record level, despite increased economic uncertainty,” Barr observes.

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Barr adds, “Unfortunately, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama remain mired in a government spending mindset. Indeed, the major parties have even worked to hook private agencies on public funds.” President George W. Bush initiated the so-called faith-based initiative, supported by Sen. McCain, to provide increased grants to religious organizations. Sen. Obama also has endorsed this approach.

Instead of expanding government social spending, “Washington should encourage Americans to take on greater responsibility in meeting charitable needs.” First, taxes should be cut. “This year Americans will spend almost four months working just to pay for government,” observe Barr. “That leaves far too little for the famous little platoons which do so much to improve American society.”

Second, “we should consider creating a special tax credit for charitable giving, to provide Americans with a dollar-for-dollar tax reduction for money contributed to social services. We could then deduct an equivalent amount from the federal welfare budget. This would enable Americans to shift welfare from the public to the private sectors,” says Barr. It would also avoid the inevitable politicization that accompanies government grant-making.

“Private charity is a better mechanism for helping people because it is more flexible and cost-effective, and is able to speak to more than financial needs—it can help meet the many often complicated problems faced by people and their families,” he explains. Government by its nature must be rule-bound and bureaucratic. But “neighbors helping neighbors at the local level is the way Americans traditionally aided those around them in meeting difficult family circumstances and other social needs.”

A major topic of many politicians in contemporary America is the need for welfare and wealth redistribution. I urge you, especially those who believe in these programs, to consider the thoughts of the principle writer of the ideals of the Constitution.

To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical.--Thomas Jefferson

Let's lay out a little background before I apply this seemingly difficult concept for alot of parents and politicians to our current political situation and state of American's.

Right now I work at a local retail store so I know this story all to well. Although, I am sure that all of you are also familiar with it almost every time you go into a supermarket or other store of your choice. Maybe this will take you back.

Your shopping in your local grocery store and you see a parent and her children walk buy. Suddenly you hear the child ask for that box of sugary cereal or candy sitting on the shelf. Under most circumstances the parent quickly replies with a "no." All of you know what happens next. The kid starts whining, running around, screaming, and making such a ruckus that you think the parent is beating them silly. The parent then tries to calm the child but invariably fails. After all this is probably not the first time this happened, actually I can guarantee it (the same thing happens to the at home). Invariably words do nothing so the parent puts the candy in the basket but the whining doesn't stop so the parent adds some more and the child stops whining.

If you are one of these parent's shame on you for giving in. Your kid has learned that whining will eventually get them the things that they wants. Put more simply, you have rewarded negative behavior so the behavior will continue to happen. By this time I figure your wondering where this is leading if you were educated in our government schools (yeah I don't like our government schools though we'll leave that discussion for a later day) what does this have to do with anything. Your child has learned that bad behavior and actions will get them the thing that they want because you have rewarded them instead of punishing them.

Let's take this concept in a new direction. In the United States we have millions of people utilizing welfare services whether they be in the form of Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security (this will get everyone eventually, even me who is an ardent opponent of this program), or food stamps which is estimated in a recent report to top 28 million this year. If you haven't figured out where I'm going yet I'll lay it out.

A large majority of the people on welfare in this country believe that the money from these programs is an entitlement to them (that they actually deserve this money because of some injustice that they had to have in their lives) and they expect more everyday even though they are totally nonproductive members of society. These people continue whining for more like the children they raise and politicians like bad parents give in to their every wish in an effort to buy them off and get their votes.

(There are some people who do need help, those who have debilitating mental conditions or physical conditions that render them unable to carry even out the most basic of tasks that is beyond their control. My writing is not aimed at these people.)

These people are the spoiled whining children of our society who contribute nothing and steal our money through one of our "wonderful" (sarcasm) government welfare programs that trap these people into a life of disparity, degradation, oppression, and mental imprisonment all so our government can continue to erode the personal freedoms or the hardworking and industrious people that this country was built upon and so politicians (namely Democrats and liberals) can stay in office. And we wonder where our children learn this from!

These people will continue to be non-productive members of our society as long as it is economically feasible for them to do so by rewarding them instead of punishing them. As soon as the rewards for bad behavior end and punishment starts, welfare programs will decrease in size and the unethical redistribution (a great word since income is earned not distributed) of income through welfare services will diminish.

And we wonder where our children learn this from!