The dilution of individual responsibility

There are two weeks and two days to go before the electoral college decides who the next President will be. The one most critical issue, deeper than the every day dissections and discussions, does not appear in any mainstream newspaper, magazine or talk show.

Let me bore you for thirty seconds and repeat the other popular topics in no particular order: foreign policy (Iraq, Afghanistan, a resurgent Russia, Iran, North Korea, world relations, etc.), the economy (financial crisis, recession, unemployment, jobs, inflation, national debt, etc.), healthcare (coverage, costs, quality), social security. These are important, in differing degrees. But, at the core exists individual responsibility.

It seems a forgotten topic for the Democrats; Obama and Biden have paid it no attention. CNBC, CNN, ABC, Boston Globe, NYT, the Washington Post, have but dismissed what is the base for all decision making: individual responsibility. This is insulting. Do the media and Democrats feel I am too limited in my mental capacity to grasp the meaning and act as a responsible individual?

Individual responsibility means that I am in control and should be responsible for my actions, thoughts and well being. This can translate to infinite things: for whom I vote, where I spend my money, how hard I work, what I want in life, what I can and cannot buy, and to live with the consequences of my abilities and decisions.

Senator Obama wants the federal government to be a surrogate for my own thinking process. Most media support this and it insults me. Obama feels that I am not capable, intelligent or experienced enough to make my own decisions. So, he wants to help me out and tells me not to worry. Somehow, he knows what is better for me. Through his proposals (including the tax increasing), he will take more of my money and apply it where he feels like it can best be used. It will be given to other individuals, programs and organizations based upon his criteria and not mine. With my money, he will, for example, give healthcare coverage to everyone, regardless of quality, efficiency, or bureaucracy.

When taxes go up, people will have to cut elsewhere - like charities. I currently donate money to a few, such as Make A Wish, St. Jude's, DAV, and various others. There are millions of people who voluntarily donate money or time to the charities and causes they feel represent their beliefs. As an aside, the states that give more to charities are also the poorest and vote Republican, but let's leave that for another day.

So, I will not vote for Obama. He thinks he is smarter than me, he thinks he knows what is best for my family and I, yet we have never met. I will vote for McCain mainly for this: he will allow me to make my own decisions and accept responsibility for them. And another reason is because we still live in a harsh world where 40 years of sacrifice, experience, toughness and a steady hand help.

But, here comes Obama. He wants to take over as he feels I am not smart enough. As taxes go up - and they undoubtedly will under his stewardship - I will have no choice but to cut back on everything, so other "worthy" causes can be funded by him.

If you can't think for yourself and would rather not be responsible for your actions, then you will need the government to do it for you. Vote for Obama. If you want the government to improve your life, instead of relying on yourself, vote for Democrat.

If you are a plumber, financial analyst, secretary or sales person and are happy and have no desire to improve your lot, that's fine. That is your choice. If you want to excel and own a plumbing company, manage a fund, be an office manager, or sales director, great! That should be your choice and the government should encourage that. If we elect Obama, we will begin peeling away more layers of individual responsibility and give that power to the government to make decisions for us. First, it will be our money. Then with our professional growth (wait...if I become office manager, I will have to pay MORE taxes, work harder and I'll get less handouts...ok it may not be worth it; if I hire one more person, my company will make more money but pay more taxes...hmm...may not be worth it!).

Individuals should be able to choose what to do with their lives, their money, their future. That's why I support McCain. At the end, a vote for Obama is a vote by those who don't feel they can administer their lives well enough. They want the government to step in, give them and guide them, while offering up a new source of blame - instead of oneself.