2.10 Retirement and Income Security

2.10 Retirement and Income Security

Retirement planning is the responsibility of the individual, not the government. We favor replacing the current government-sponsored Social Security system with a private voluntary system. The proper source of help for the poor is the voluntary efforts of private groups and individuals.

The consistency of the libertarian party is fantastic. Neither major party offers such a clear unwavering message of respect for the individual. I think we sometimes forget that the nation is made up of individuals. There is no such thing as "the common good". The common good is a statistical approach to government that is willing to either forget those at the fringe as insignificant or hammer down those in the middle in some misguided attempt to instill equality.

The Libertarian party says loud and clear that you not only have the right, but the responsibility, to rise to the level of your character. Sometimes I think this is what scares people the most about the Libertarian message. It not only enables you to be the best you can, but it demands it as well. Being second best is for collectivists. Why else would one turn to the overnment if not out of fear of failure? For individuals with courage the government is an obstacle, for people of fear it is a refuge.

Retirement can be a scary idea. For those of us blessed to live into old age we will see a time when our ability to earn is greatly decreased, perhaps to zero. We will begin to stare down the face of the "fixed income" monster. Inflation is a real thing when your purchasing power is slipping away from you faster than your years. Who wouldn't want a nice cozy security blanket? Or at least a safety net to keep you from being on the streets.

One major problem with this thinking is that to have the security blanked you have to hire the government to be your legally sanctioned thief. He robs from some to give to someone else. The victim has perpetrated no crime and reaped no unearned rewards, and yet he is punished.

Another major problem is the impossibility of it. The government plans put forth thus far have continued to show their roots in economic fallacy. They will, over time, continue to fail the very people they have targeted to help. Along the way the congress will siphon off the money for other boondoggle projects, and use the cash to continue to bribe voters.

And that where the heart of the matter lie. By supporting such policies people have compromised their integrity. They have said that it is OK to steal, and that it is OK to be bribed in the short term for promises that cannot be delivered. The Libertarian party rejects such moral and intellectual compromise. We stand tall like our symbol, the statue of liberty, and we hold the torch of principle up for everyone to see.

The past is prologue. Democracy is based on the foundation that, given the information, the majority of the people will choose the right path the majority of the time. The republic is founded on the principle that all are created equal and have unalienable rights. And all that is required of us it to forgive ourselves for being deceived, and to stand back up and say with a clear voice "never again". The errors and sins of the past are unalterable, but the future is not set. We have it in our power to act today to clean up the mess and put our house in order.

The only question left is, will you join us and begin this day to live up to the content of your character?