Why Bother?

I haven't written anything in a long time – partly because I've been working on the launch of our new website, RevereLiberty.com, but also because politics can be exhausting. If you've ever wondered why I bother writing these articles, then we're in accord.

Firstly, politics takes time – to research, to write coherently, even to be informed. Secondly, it's unpleasant, which probably explains its exalted position as one of the three taboos of polite conversation. Thirdly and finally, it often seems futile.

Why read and think and talk about politics only to end up, not only frustrated and angry, but also no more equipped to do anything about it?

That line of reasoning certainly stands up to logic. Putting so much effort into politics offers no immediate reward – on the other hand, it does introduce the risk of offending or losing the respect of loved ones.

Moreover, it's a difficult battle. Unless you're selling 'change you can believe in,' you can't merely tell people what they want to hear. From what I've seen, most people would rather indulge in wild rationalizations than accept basic principles of liberty and personal responsibility.

So why bother?

If everyone follows the same logic, then we can only expect our problems to worsen. People will continue to vote away the rights and money of others – including their posterity – but we will have done nothing to oppose this injustice.

That makes us accomplices to the robbery of our fellow countrymen and our children. Wealth redistribution is just organized thievery, whether we're taking it from 'the rich' using income taxes or from future generations using ever-growing public debt.

If that's not enough for you – if you have a higher purpose that makes stealing seem justified – then consider the fact that what we're doing as a nation also is not sustainable. In other words, ultimately, it will affect all of us – not just 'the rich' or our successors.

The more we destroy productivity by punishing achievement, the fewer 'rich people' we'll have to loot. The more free money we offer, the more 'poor people' we'll have dependent on the government. The more debt and IOU's we pile on, the more interest payments we must make and the sooner that debt turns becomes unmanageable.

People understand this in their personal lives – otherwise parents wouldn't bother encouraging their kids to work hard, go to college, and balance the budget. A good parent wouldn't wish financial ruin on his child, so why would he wish it on the entire nation?

Because he doesn't understand, or he is deluding himself – either way, that is why it's important to get involved. Eventually, the delusions will have the same effect on the country that we would expect them to have on our personal lives.

And although the United States is 'too big to fail,' you can bet the farm no one will be there to bail us out.