As we have been debating the issues of whether or not policies such as universal health care are or are not Libertarian in philosophy, an interesting subject came up, one that is not unique to the individual advancing the argument, and should not be ascribed solely to that individual, but rather to a flaw in the thinking of many Americans.

The argument was that he didn't trust the private sector to provide health care...but he DID trust the government. This statist attitude is as common as it is illogical. Why would one trust a GROUP of citizens to have the common sense that they feel those same citizens LACK in the private sector? What is it about their presence in a government building that somehow fills them with common sense that they apparently didn't have outside those doors?

The simple truth is, our government is composed of people. And they carry the same baggage to the Senate floor as they carry in their civilian live. If they're not motivated to compassion by the Salvation Army bellringers, chances are swearing in on a stack of Bibles isn't going to suddenly motivate them to compassion. If Jesus Christ, or Buddha, or Mohammed, or Confucious, or any number of secular writers cannot motivate them to compassion, why do we think messrs. Jefferson, Hamilton, Washington, et al will produce any different effect?

Many on the left have long argued "you can't legislate morality" when issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and any number of moral issues are brought to the legislative table. And, while they are wholly right, it seems to me to be odd that they abandon this premise when they try to legislate their moral views into social programs.

Until we wake up and realize that a government of the people cannot be more perfect than the people who form the government, we will continue to wallow in the failures of various well intentioned, but poorly thought out social programs. And as our collective debt mounts, as our taxation rates increase, we will increase the likelihood that we may one day not far off find ourselves to be as one person described it, the most preeminent third world nation in history. And instead of 13% of our nation suffering, we will ALL feel the pinch.