Pep Talk Time
I believe it was Ronald Reagan back in 1980 who first posed the question to American voters: "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" For a politician running against an incumbent president, a pretty savvy question...Since then, many politicians have used this same line. Most recently, I've seen our good friends, Obama and Biden using it in their commercials and stump speeches. Nice try.
Although it may be a great question from a political standpoint, as a way of trying to get people to question their leaderships competence, I have always disagreed with the very premise of this question. Primarily because it implies that my success, my hopes, my dreams and my entire future pivots on who the president and a select group of bureaucrats in government consists of.
So I ask you...are YOU better off than you were eight years ago? Regardless of who you're supporting in the upcoming elections - ask youself this - you don't have to tell anybody.
Eight years ago, I was a junior at Iowa State, living in an apartment, no health insurance, no money, living off loans, working two part-time jobs - a convenience store clerk and a shelf-stocker at Hy-Vee - driving a junk car, ate Velveeta Shells and Cheese or Honey Bunches of Oats for dinner most nights - and had only been to one Jimmy Buffett concert. Bill Clinton was President - was he to blame for this?
Eight years later, I have graduated from ISU, graduated from Texas Tech with my Master's degree, have a pretty good job, have health insurance, own a home, two cars, a 401(k), I'm happily married with a new baby - and have been to nine Jimmy Buffett concerts. George W. Bush is President - does he get the credit for this?
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not living lifestyles of the rich and famous...But, yes, I am certainly better off that I was eight years ago. Using Obama's logic, should I automatically vote for McCain?
If success is measured by how much "stuff" we have...it seems most Americans are better off than they were eight years ago. And most Americans will be better off eight years from now than they are today.
I say all this because it's a point we know deep down - our personal success is not and should not be dependent on who's in charge of government. The fact is, in America today, government is typically the primary impediment to an individual's success.
High taxes, regulations, bureaucracy are all hurdles one must jump through in order to be successful - whether individually or in business. When a person can actually look back over eight years and say they are better off, it's not because the government has done anything to put them there - but because that individual has succeeded in spite of the fact government has put up hurdles and has been in their way the entire time.
Certainly a President can screw things up - or do a great job to improve the country. But rarely on a "micro," individual level. I don't know who's going to win the next election, but I do know this - the next four or eight years depend mostly on what I make of it - not who the President is.
The better question should be, which of the candidates is going to work to actively reduce bureaucracy, reduce the burden of government on the average American, work to get government out of our way and work to inspire Americans to make the most of their talents and skills? It's not the role of government to guarantee success, outcomes or prosperity - but ensure Americans are free to live their lives in a way that they see fit...in my humble opinion. The candidate or party who does this is the one who gets my vote.
