“Individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and to accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make. No individual, group, or government may initiate force against any other individual, group, or government. Our support of an individual's right to make choices in life does not mean that we necessarily approve or disapprove of those choices.” (Libertarian 2010 Party Platform—Section 1.0 Personal Liberty)I fully agree that individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and that they should take responsibility for those choices. In my view, a solid portion of the problems with American society reside in a failure of personal responsibility— largely an unfortunate by-product of the wealth and affluence Americans enjoy. Too many of us have a sense of entitlement that at times does not serve us well.
However, it is all well and good to say that people need to make their own choices and to live with the consequences. But, what do we do when personal choices affect innocent people—particularly children? Do we have the stomach to see large numbers of men, women and children starving and destitute? Maybe we could get used to it. Solid portions of the wealthy in the world are very good at dining in fine restaurants just blocks away from inner-city slums teaming with starving and disease-ridden children, not to mention their parents.
If you have not traveled and looked in the eyes of a dirty, sick and hungry child, I contend that you do not know if you can stomach it or not. Latin America is close—just a plane ride away. I have seen these children with my own eyes in Mexico, Columbia, Brazil and Argentina and I can say without a doubt that I do not want to live in a country in which wholesale poverty of this magnitude is accepted and is just part of daily life. Already, a shocking number of children go to bed hungry in the United States. Maybe you can save the plane fare and explore communities in crisis in the U.S….dire need may be closer than you think.
So, how do we deal with disastrously poor choices, particularly when those choices directly affect the innocent? Many Libertarians say that people would donate money of their own free will to non-profit organizations that would in turn provide the needed care. Maybe these non-profits would take the place of government programs if “Big Brother” would just get out of the way.
This is fantasy based on the under-funding of many critical aid organizations around the world, including those who operate in our own country. Americans are generous people, but not generous enough on a regular enough basis to allow me to reasonably conclude that if our taxes were severely cut due to elimination of government programs that we would all happily begin cutting checks large enough and often enough to fill the need. I suspect that too many of us would take an extra vacation, or maybe upgrade our cars.
There is also the issue of generational poverty. Poverty is not merely an absence of money; it is a state of mind. In my own life I have been broke on more than one occasion, but I have never been poor. Poverty is most often coupled with a lack of hope, a tremendous reduction in self-esteem and the lack of experience, education or vision to improve one’s life and the life of their families. Do we just kick to the curb those who were not raised in a fashion that taught them tools for successful living?
Yes, there are rags to riches stories. As Americans we love these stories. You know how the story goes. Young black man from the inner city slums of D.C. is inspired by one of his teachers, sleeps in the basement of the school for 18 months to keep himself off of the streets, is accepted first to the University of Maryland, then to Yale Law….now is wearing a $5,000 suit making $175,000 per year. A mere decade ago he was struggling in the slums, but through focus and hard work he made something of himself.
These scenarios happen and it is wonderful when they do. But, for every “success story” there are thousands upon thousands upon thousands of cases of generational poverty and grave generational mistakes. Middle class and upper class kids are statistically much, much more successful in their own lives not because they are smarter, but because they are taught the tools for success from the start.
I do not advocate constant handouts as self-esteem and pride are best achieved when one is standing on their own two feet. But, as a compassionate and civil society, how to we help people to improve their position in life, acquire the skills needed, and effectively raise their children? Handing out money on a long-term basis will not work. Turning our backs and demanding “people to take responsibility for their choices,” especially when those choices are going to continue the cycle is short-sided from a social and economic perspective and barbaric from a humanitarian perspective.
I do not advocate redistribution of wealth to “punish” the rich. But, we cannot turn our backs on those in need particularly when helping to position people to advance and support themselves makes far more sense than straining our penal and emergency systems.
So, what do we do? Education and exposure is a huge part of the answer to this and so many things in life. I will pay whatever taxes need to be paid to assure that we have outstanding education systems including our K-12, university and adult continuing education.
The manner in which our education systems are funded today is insane. The vast majority of states funding K-12 education with property taxes only 110% guarantees very unequal opportunity for the start. We cannot demand that American citizens take responsibility for themselves and make use of their education if they never had access to quality education to begin with.
Still have doubt that our educational system does not provide opportunity that is anywhere near equal? I invite you to take a stroll through a few Chicago Public schools. Yes, there are some select good schools and some very select excellent schools within the Chicago Public school system. BUT, there are many…way too many schools in the system that range from inadequate to down right deadly.
We need to:
#1 Truly revamp our education system to assure quality educational opportunities for the affluent as well as the poor
#2 Make sure disadvantaged students have core needs met—kids cannot learn if they are hungry or are scared for their safety.
#3 Create a system in which a college education is attainable and affordable. A university degree is increasingly becoming a fantasy for many.
#4 Create a system of adult continuing education and career training. In fact, I don’t think able-bodied people should be entitled to a welfare or unemployment check without being enrolled in, attending and actively participating in programs of this nature (of course child care would be provided to those who need it). I will happily support paying taxes for giving people a hand up, rather than a hand out. Both the education system and a system of evaluation and monitoring would need to be created. But, I don’t think we need more bureaucrats, just repurposing some of the ones we have.
Adults who are truly abusing the system (able-bodied people who chose to watch Oprah rather than attend class) will find themselves in dire need and will need to reform their behavior. Good intentioned people looking for “a chance” will get their chance and children will receive benefits distributed in a manner in which their benefits cannot be stolen by dead-beat parents. Finally, ample substance abuse/addiction resources will be needed.
The Libertarian commandment, “Individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and to accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make” is all well and good. But, the Libertarian demand that Federal, state and local governments step aside and stop making them pay taxes that will benefit others is absurd. Who is going to pay for the education systems we need to give people a fighting chance? Those of us who are blessed enough to pay taxes must be willing to fund opportunities for those less fortunate…not fund chronic handouts, but fund helping hands up.
This issue is not whether we should pay taxes or really even how much we should pay as individuals. The question is…what are we and what is society getting for our money.
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