Chasing the Wind

OpinionJournal today asks, “What do the Democrats stand for?” Then proceeds to eloquently trash the heart of liberalism and what is stands for. Excellent reading today; while applauding the heart behind liberalism, once you recognize that liberalism has a cost, you next have to ask, “how much cost is too much?” And as soon as you ask that question, you become a conservative.

Let me preface today’s thought with a statement, I am not necessarily a Republican. Really. I’m not. I’m mostly conservative with a sprinkling of liberal and libertarian ideas once in while. I want a government that’s only there when needed and completely absent when it’s not. One that doesn’t push a liberal morality on me and doesn’t restrict my conservative morality.

That about sums my political philosophy in a nutshell; the Republicans share a lot more of my philosophy than the Democrats. Would I switch parties if the Democrats held my ideals instead? In a heartbeat.

But that’s not going to happen anytime soon. I thought with the election over, the Democrats would rethink the strategy that brought them defeat: oppose everything.

The same Democrats that said Social Security was a crisis when Clinton was President are now saying, “Crisis? What crisis?” And then they’ll oppose Bush’s Social Security reform ideas, not because they have any better idea, but because they can’t stand the thought of somebody else’s idea succeeding. What the Democrats achieve with this strategy is alienating people like me who would much rather see them engage the ideas rationally.

Is Social Security in trouble? Everybody says yes; they only disagree with the number of years we have left. Most say that Social Security will be bankrupt within this generation. Republicans say “fix it;” the Democrats are saying… “leave it broke.”

The libertarian streak in me says eliminate Social Security altogether; give the 12.4% tax back to the people and tell them to save it themselves. The realist in me knows that won’t work; while some people will save that money for retirement, the other 99% will buy a plasma television on the way home tonight.

I’m not interested in changing social security for me; I’m in the late baby boomer generation where the existing social security system will fail me. I’ll be stuck with the old system. But what about younger workers in their 20’s and 30’s? What’s so wrong about fixing the system so it will work for them? Give them a system where the money is theirs instead of the government’s and watch them thrive.

Right now it’s only the Republicans offering ideas; the Democrats just oppose whatever it is. I’m on the side of those that at least are trying.