Thought ya'll might like to read it:

To the editor,

An interesting example of current American political philosophy occurred to me this morning. It concerned seatbelt laws, but any number of similar issues could be substituted in this thought exercise.

Speak with folks on the subject and you'll undoubtedly hear: "without these laws people may be injured and we'll have to foot the bill." However, the following errant assumptions underly this issue and above argument:

1) Someone besides ourselves is responsible for our own well-being. With freedom comes responsibility. We like the freedom part, but not so much the responsibility. We accept as a given that someone failing to provide for themselves, in this case healthcare following a car accident, would be cared for by government. In other words, we prefer charity extracted from our paychecks and distributed by politicians. We've exchanged loving compassion for our common man (provided individually, professionally, or through churches) for cold, one-size-fits-all, dependence-inducing government entitlements.

2) Government should have this kind of jurisdiction in the first place. The impetus for the American Revolution was tyranny. Accordingly, our wise founders designed the Constitution to restrain government. They understood basic human rights not as created by the state and apportioned to citizens as it sees fit, but as inalienably endowed by our Creator. Preserving freedom and protecting us from ourselves are mutually exclusive concepts. When we give the state the power to regulate our personal lives, you can be sure it won't stop at seatbelts.

3) Liberty isn't all that important. Our forefathers risked their "lives, fortunes, and sacred honor" to bring liberty to this land. Now we're willing to sacrifice freedoms because it might hurt us financially? I don't accept that society should be forced to fund the mistakes of individuals; but even if that never changes, let us remember what's truly important. If somebody foolishly doesn't wear a seatbelt and is injured, and I have to pay for it, so be it! It is a far better thing to be free!

The point of all this really has nothing to do with seatbelts. What I mean to illustrate is how far we've strayed in our thinking from the tremendous ideals on which our country was founded. Let me be the first to confess: I towed the party line, I voted for the status quo, and I was wrong on a great many things. It's time to ask, "What have we become, and where do we want to go from here?" As we approach an election and face crises of war, immigration, healthcare, education, economic uncertainty, and more, I believe we are at a crossroads.

The overt socialism of the Democrats, the big-spending, small on principle Republicans -- each election cycle the names change but the results don't. We've resigned ourselves to this, but there is hope! Join me in setting higher standards for our highest office. Accept nothing less than a patriot and a statesman. Take a stand for the principle that made our country great: liberty. Vote Ron Paul for President.