With a scarcity of right-leaning youngsters — and an ample amount who thought it was a good idea to vote President Obama into office for a second term — the Millennial generation’s overall understanding of government has proved hardly promising.
But perhaps the recent corruption that has descended upon Washington can teach young Americans an important lesson: big government inspires the abuse of power.
The simultaneous unveiling of the IRS targeting conservatives and Justice Department’s Associated Press phone record subpoenas has sparked outrage from many Americans who seem to recognize that with great power comes great responsibility. Why can’t young adults see that?
In a November 2012 Pew Research Center survey, 59 percent of voters between 18-29 said government should do more to solve problems. Fast forward six months to a May 2013 survey through the Young America’s Foundation that revealed 61 percent of college-age students oppose the government taking an active role in their day-to-day lives.
Millennials seemingly realize the detriments of too much power, but a decade free of blatant government scandals may have lured them into a false sense of security. That is, of course, until now. The current scandals and abuse of government power are an opportune occasion to teach young adults an important lesson on responsibility.
When one receives a drivers license at the age of 16, an assortment of responsibilities ensue. Society expects drivers to travel within the speed limit and turnover their keys when they’ve had one too many glasses of wine. Just as the speed limit exists to protect the safety of individuals against reckless drivers, the Constitution exists to protect the individual’s rights from a tyrannical government.
Suffice it to say, the Obama administration has been caught driving 85 mph in a 60 mph zone.
The IRS scandal, Benghazi and the Justice Department’s clandestine attempt to subpoena AP phone records illustrate an imperious government and administration drunk on power. The bigger the government gets, the better chance it will attract corrupt, dishonest and power hungry people. It is not cynicism or pessimism that leads to that conclusion, but rather an examination of history and human nature.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) put it well in a recent column.
“The more power any government has, the more power it will abuse. The more money it spends, the more money it will mis-spend. It has nothing to do with party or ideology — it has to do with human nature,” Lee wrote.
Fortunately, America’s forefathers anticipated the potential for corruption and so created a government that protects personal liberties.
“The Founders knew that over time, either the people would control the government, or the government would control the people,” Lee wrote in his column. “That’s why they bequeathed to us a constitutionally limited government — a republic, if we could keep it.”
No matter one’s political affiliation, Americans want honest and virtuous people running the country.
In order to make that happen one must remember: Big government is bad government.
Just read last week’s headlines.
