I was born into the first wave of the boomer generation (1945-1965); we as a generation have made an extraordinary impact on America. Most of the wealth created in the last 40 years is due to the scope and vision of my generation; regrettably many of the problems are also attributable to us, both economic and social. Our parents were neither the “best” generation nor the worst; however they lived through one of the most significant times in the history of our republic. The threat to America from Germany and Japan was a very real one and defeating these countries in war was the proper thing to do. We, their children, the boomers, reaped the crops of freedom planted by our grandparents and our parents, and for the last 50 years have planted and sown our own harvest of liberty. Our country has prospered as no people in history have. Our standard of living, even for our poorest, is the envy of the world.

Today, the oldest of the boomers are retired and more of us will retire in huge numbers over the next few years. The call for funds to support us in retirement is going to put a strain on society because of the promises made by administrations and presidents long dead and expanded yearly by proliferate congress to a point where there are not enough productive workers to support the retirement of us, their parents and grand-parents.  

Many in my generation are seeking succor from the government to make our later years better. Many others, perhaps the majority only want the government to stay out of our business and let us be. Between these two views there is little, if any communication. One sub-cohort is very loud and insistent; the other is not as loud but just as insistent.  The boomer generation has in effect divided itself into two very distinct groups. The first, I will call the “entitlement generation” acts as if they have a direct line to the treasury of the government and that taxpayers should provide all their needs and desires. We find members if this generation largely in the Democrat party and those who describe themselves as “liberal’ or “progressive”–more on that later.

The second sub-cohort is much harder to define, but in fundamental nature these are individuals who choose to rely on themselves and not the government. The image of John Wayne standing on a hilltop is conjured up: the Hollywood version of “rugged individual”, and there is a component of that myth, but more fundamentally it is a group of people who choose not to be treated as children by the government. The best label for this part of the boomer generation is the “Get off my property and go to hell generation”. Tired of our government telling us how to live our lives and aware that many things have hazards, we know, for example, that smoking is bad for our health, but many of us smoke in spite of forty years of warnings. We have made a decision as an adult and we do not need some nattering “do gooder” to tell us what is good for us. We understand full well the words of C. S. Lewis.

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”

Intellectually, we know that seatbelts are safer should we be in an automobile accident, but we do not need our government to make law about it. For us our home is in the state and communities of our state, the government of our home is not in Washington D.C. I wonder if we have the same will to resist of our founders, changing an oppressive government is more difficult than revolution.

In the fall of 1863 Lincoln at Gettysburg said, “That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”.  Have we given up the vision of self-government? Are we content to allow someone else to do the dirty work of governance? I am reminded of the last years of the Roman republic. The first century BCE was one of constant civil war and discord, Maris, Gracchi brothers, of course Caesar and more significantly Augustus. None openly wanted to dismantle the republic, although, each had ambitions that would surely contribute to the end of republic. Rome created the modern welfare system, at the time of the Caesars the city of Rome was an entitlement state, hundreds of thousands of Romans lived on the food given them to buy peace from the mob. Our modern welfare state is not in any substantive manner different, except perhaps in scope.

In much the same way I suppose that few, if any, of our representatives or senators wish to tear down our nation, but personal ambition, distain for the constitutional system and rule of law is part of the thousand cuts that when completed will destroy the ideals that our founders sought to create. We the boomer generation, have no small responsibility for this debasing of our liberty.

Who are the liberals/progressives that are destroying our freedom? The liberal/progressive tree has many roots but it can best be expressed as a part of human nature. Human beings divide themselves politically into two distinct groups; those who seek to control what people do, and those who don’t. Today those who seek to control our lives are progressing with expectations in the Obama administration; they view the election as a mandate to make the radical “progressive” changes in government they want.

The modern progressive is nothing new. They are unchanged from the progressives of the 1890-1920 years. Their world view consists of a disregard for the common people, and a sincere belief (albeit erroneous) that elite of good will with unlimited power is the best method of governing. We find many philosophical roots to the progressives as far back as Plato, but the modern roots are in European socialism, and nihilism. Jonah Goldberg has written a book detailing the growth of the liberal/progressive called Liberal Fascism. I recommend it to anyone who questions our current political atmosphere. I also recommend F.A. Hayek, The Road to Serfdom, for a concise picture of the thinking involved in expansive and intrusive government.

Libertarians and Conservatives often talk about “small government,” which, in a way, is allowing the issue to be framed in progressive/liberal terms: they’re for bigger government and more government involvement in individual lives. However, small or better yet, limited government gives you big freedoms, and big government leaves you with very little freedom. The bailout, the stimulus, the budget and the trillion-dollar deficits are not only massive transfers from the most self-motivated and industrious sector to the least self-motivated and industrious. When governments annex a huge chunk of the economy, they also annex a huge chunk of individual liberty and freedom. This produces a substantial change the relationship between the citizen and the state into something closer to that of junkie and pusher, and you make it very difficult to ever change back as withdrawal is very painful to the addicted.

We started talking about welfare reform in the 1980’s. It was a democrat president, Bill Clinton pushed by a republican congress that finely brought some reform. However, today a democrat president and congress are feasting on the trillions of healthcare dollars up for grabs, seeking to create an entitlement system that will dwarf the trillions of dollars transferred from the “Great Society” of LBJ.

Americans face a choice: We can find again the principles of the American idea, of limited government, a self-reliant citizenry, and the opportunities to exploit skills, talents, and ability to the fullest, or we can join most of the Western world in mortal demographic decline. To rekindle the spark of liberty once it dies is very difficult and can create a monster, consider the Weimar republic created after WWI. This gave birth to the most destructive world war in human history. Our enemies will not wait for an answer, but continue to attack us. Do we still have the will to win?

The disinterest, the existential melancholy, malaise and the fatalism is more horrendous than the demographic decline and fiscal extravagance of the social democratic state, because it’s subtler and ephemeral. But once in a while it looms into very sharp focus. The solution is simple; the implementation is going to take courage and be difficult.

Libertarians and Conservatives are always talking about the size of government, but that is allowing the liberal/progressives to form the argument in their terms, after all big government of any kind is a positive in their lexicon. What we need to bring to the argument is the role of government. For Libertarians and Conservatives that role is limited to the defined powers in the Constitution and not a penumbra of rights and powers discovered by the courts.

The Constitution does not mention anything about the health care; yet we have allowed the government to expand its role into our lives. The idea of promoting the general welfare in 18^th century terms is to encourage the prosperity of the citizens and to act as a neutral arbiter of disputes. In that role the federal government is exercising its duty. Health care is not a defined right that the federal government is required to provide.

Employer paid health care and the problems resulting from it are the direct result of government interference in the free market. During WWII wages and prices were frozen. Employers wishing to pay their staff more were restricted by law from raising wages, however, they could offer benefits that were not counted as wages and the employer could cost out as a business expense. Employer paid health insurance was intended to be a short term solution to a short term problem and would end with the ware.

Unfortunately,   unions found that this was something that could be negotiated into contracts in place of wages and employers, union and non-union employers went along. Paid as wages or benefits the cost was the same to the employer, however since the unions in the late 40’s and early 50’s controlled access to employment it was beneficial to make health care insurance an employer paid benefit. So over the next 60 years the concept that the employer pays health insurance has become standard thinking, which corrupt officials have turned into a right.

The cost of this benefit has continued to increase because medical practitioners, insurance companies and covered employees all think that someone else is paying. In reality it is the employee who is paying in lower wages than they would be receiving without this benefit, today this amounts to an average of about $4,500 per employee.  Given the opportunity most employees would opt for the cash wages and pay taxes on them and purchase their insurance outside of employer plans.

For the younger people in the work force they would, as they do now, opt to not purchase health insurance, this is a large portion the currently “45 million” uninsured. For young workers this is a completely rational and logical decision. Why buy insurance when you don’t get sick. Yes, there are tragic cases of young people with MS, Cancer, etc but as a group American youth are the healthiest ever, the estimated life span into the 80′s is proof of that.

Libertarians and Conservatives must continue to define the role of government as limited and not allow the liberals to make a right out of a business expense.

v  Adulthood:

We cannot reasonably define an adult by age. Some people are adults much later in life than others; some never become adults; some are adults early in their teens. Any person who is capable and prepared to care for himself or herself, support himself or herself, does not ask for charity is an adult regardless of age.

Yes, this means that teenagers can marry, have children, make contracts, suffer the consequences of bad decisions and enjoy the success of good decisions. Thus, it is not a crime to be successful and young. Henry II was king of England at 21.  Additionally, parents have a right and social obligation to kick loafer children out of the house and not allow them back.

v  Markets:

The free market is the only method of economics that works. Government intervention or control and regulation are anathema to the proper performance of markets and are always to the detriment of the poor and middle class.

v  Citizenship/Immigration:

Immigrants must pass a difficult test to become citizens and must speak English well enough to conduct basic business. Citizenship can be lost by criminal activity, treason, and by renouncing citizenship. Citizenship can be granted without other qualifications for military service in a combat role. Illegal Immigrants by definition are illegal and lawbreakers and must be deported to their country of origin or entry point at their expense. Legal immigration is the only method of entry.

New immigrants will only be offered the opportunity to achieve success but no support from the government in any form, thus ending the sad existence of the welfare system; unsuccessful immigrants will starve or return to their home country. TINSTAAFL*

v  Withdrawal from the union:

The individual states have the right to withdraw from the national government for any reason. States may vote to leave the union by a plebiscite vote of all legal adults.  States that withdraw from the union will be re-admitted by majority vote of the states registered voters.

v  State Sovereignty:

The powers delegated to the federal government are limited and defined. The federal government is a creation of the states. The sovereignty granted by the constitution to the federal government by the states is limited and can be revoked or changed by the states. 

v  Federal Government:

The only functions accorded to a federal government that make sense are national defense/foreign policy, and law enforcement. All other functions of Federal government contradict a free society and must be eliminated, privatized or returned to the states. The money saved will fund the federal government for years.

v  House of Representatives, Senate and Supreme Court

The legislative houses will meet for 10 days every year to repeal laws already on the books. The Supreme Court will again take on the responsibilities of the pre-Marshal court and only review decisions made by lower level courts for errors in application of law. Constitutional issues between the branches of government will be open to debate. Legislators will be elected by random selection every year since their function is to repeal law legislative experience is not required.

v  Guns/weapons:

An armed citizenry is more polite and law abiding. It is the responsibility of every citizen to be armed not only for personal defense but to defend oneself, family and community against the government when it becomes tyrannical; there are no limits to the weaponry one can own from a pocketknife to nuclear weapons.

v  Speech

The free market of speech and thought is beneficial and essential to a liberated society; to limit speech because it is or might be offensive is to limit freedom.  There is no such thing as “hate speech”. No one has a right to be listened to, only to speak his or her opinions. The people must exercise their right to ignore speech that they find personally offensive; stop asking the government to do it as it only makes the government more tyrannical and oppressive. Silence quiets bad speech faster than dispute.

v  Privacy 

In a free society, adults have the right to be private in any actions of their life. It is an adult’s choice to make known what, if any, information is disclosed, including financial, and sexual relationships. Actions that injure or cause injury to others are by definition illegal and no longer private.

v  Abortion:

Abortion is infanticide; there is no moral difference between Spartans exposing unwanted children to the elements and aborting a female child in favor of a male or a Down’s syndrome child, however, the issue of caring for living children has some moral primacy. That does not make it better, but most moral decisions are between bad and worse. The moral high ground is reserved for saints.

v  Marriage:

Marriage is a social positive when the care and welfare of children is the most important motivation for the marriage, thus, marriage between any group of adults who can provide the necessary love and support for children is proper. If the children are appropriately loved and cared for; then the marriage is socially sanctioned regardless of sex or number of partners. A polygamous, polyandrous or homosexual or for that matter a polygamous/polyandrous homosexual family may provide more stability for the raising and protection of children than the standard monogamist family. Can we honestly say that standard monogamist families have done all that well?

v  Homosexuality

If it fits your personal goals and needs for love and friendship then enjoy it, but the singular reason that we have two sexes is the special bonding that is possible between man and woman. That is not to say same sex relationships cannot achieve it but it is much more difficult.

v  Charity:

Charity is not a function of government, nor is it a function of government to encourage private individuals to provide charity to their community. Thus, the tax credit to charities and churches must be eliminated. Religion must compete in the open market. TINSTAAFL*

v  Taxes:

Taxes will be set as an unchanging percentage of income not amendable by law, other than to reduce the percentage; at which time the tax percentage is locked and can never be increased to the old level. It is government’s responsibility to live within its means. The function of the free market is to allow citizens to prosper without confiscatory taxes. Governments institute usage fees when they are aware that the prevailing tax rates are excessive. Usage fees are a tax by another name and will be eliminated.

The amount of money available to government is in direct proportion to the prosperity of the people. In times of emergency, the government can ask for additional monies from the citizens, but has no authority to compel compliance. The people will vote on the issue with their dollars. Foolish adventures and wars will be avoided in this manner.

State and local taxes will be set in the same manner once and for perpetuity.

v  Business:

Business is regulated by the exchange in the free market and competition. Business taxes are set at the same percentage of income as for individual taxpayer and will not be changed except to be reduced.  

v  Education:

Parents are the most significant educators in a child’s life. It is the obligation of parents to provide the basic essentials before children enter school. Government funded education is costly, mind numbing to students, and lacks efficacy.  All public education must be turned over to the free market. Yes, this means that government school instructors will be challenged to become real teachers or they must find real employment.  Schools that truly educate their students will succeed others will close for lack of students.

v  Intelligence

The most certain capital offence is a lack of intelligence. There is no social stigma, however, people with low intelligence are condemned by nature to die more often and younger from circumstances beyond their control. The second most certain capital offence is the failure to use intelligence.

v  Pornography:

Limiting pornography is like damming water. It can be stopped for a while but keeps coming out somewhere because it seeks its own level. Best alternative is for parents to control what comes into the home; then the kids can find ways to defeat parental control. Do not ask the government to make laws, either enjoy it or do not. It is an individual choice; that bothersome adult issue again.

Like all other forms of speech, silence by turning it off will render it flaccid. If you do not like it, or choose to not tolerate it walk away.

v  Drugs

Every advanced society in history has drugs of some kind; some attempt to control access more than others do. The sad commentary is that control always fails. As long as there is a market then drugs will be available. Parents have a duty to keep drugs away from their children; however, adults have a right to poison their body in any method they choose. The caveat is that society has no obligation to offer support of any kind to drug users, except perhaps a quick funeral.  

v  Health Care

Health care is not a right, nor is it an obligation placed on government to provide. Individuals must seek health care on the free market, without interference or control by the federal government, state control and regulation of license of medical doctors is appropriate. The cost of health care will fall with and in direct proportion to the openness of the market.

v  Crime

Most crime is the gloomy result of a lack of respect for others and the opportunity, perceived by criminals, to commit a crime. The first layer of law enforcement is the armed citizen. The second is sure and certain punishment for the crime. Killing a robber should not be a felony, perhaps a misdemeanor; like disturbing the peace.

v  The Human condition

The most volatile and dangerous creature on the planet is man. We are killers it is part of our genetic composition. Under the right conditions, each of us will act to protect our family, friends, community or country. Additionally, many people ask to be killed by their behavior or personality and are often the cause of much heartache to their families and community. Each of us must understand ourselves and where the line is and what it would take us to kill without either remorse or second thought.

*TINSTAAFL

There is no such thing as a free lunch, get over it.