David Boaz contributes a piece entitled “Our Collectivist Candidates” that I recommend reading here.
He centers on recent talks by Obama and McCain in which they extol collective service and denigrate the selfishness of desiring to lead a happy and prosperous life. This sort of blather wins applause from naive college kids (Obama was speaking at Wesleyan’s graduation ceremony) and media types who swoon over politicians who denigrate the profit motive and capitalism, but Adam Smith was right when he said, “I have never known much good to come from those who affect to trade for the public good.”
Hey, Obama! McCain! Lissen up! Here is one voter who is completely turned off by your socialistic rhetoric. Also, I have two children. You say you want to do things for the children, right? Well, here’s the place to start: instead of trying to dragoon them into grandiose political schemes, work to increase freedom in this country so each child will have the best opportunity to make the most of his life.