The “Libertarian Way” to address issues like “Child Poverty”

I have lived in Canada all of my life [since 1951]. Too many times to count, I have heard message that we Canadians are all so very fortunate to live a country full of caring and compassionate citizens – one that serves and protects every citizen by a broad slate of ‘free’ government programs.  

A lifetime bombardment of these messages has produced a powerful mechanism in my consciousness that leads a part of me to quickly and reflexively turn to government when societal issues arise …. such as child poverty. It almost feels natural to look to government for answers. I know that I am not alone in feeling this ‘knee-jerk’, “government is the answer“  response.

Many Canadians accept this “Government Way” without challenge because it offers the ‘easy way out’ ----  it absolves its supporters from taking any direct responsibility for the problem at hand.

The Government Way is also seductive because there is no obvious direct connection between the taxes you pay and the specific problem at hand -   hence the illusion held by many that public services are ‘free’.

For those citizens who do understand the connection between our tax contributions and public services, then it makes it easy to convince ourselves [and others] that we ‘have done our part’. Having washed our hands of any culpability, the government can then become a convenient ‘scapegoat’ whenever it fails to meet our expectations.

It is no wonder that, when our political leaders tell us not to worry because our hard-earned tax dollars are ‘hard at work‘ to produce the best possible solution, it’s a readily acceptable claim. It is the perfect salve to soothe our  guilty conscience.

I have long ago rejected the salve and accepted the reality that government is rarely capable of delivering the best solution to any problems. What’s more, I have also come to understand that excessive government is often the cause of many of our problems, not the resolver of them.

In is now clear to me that the centralized ‘command & control’ methods that are the “Government Way” are in no way as effective as the decentralized and personalized methods used by caring members within healthy and cohesive communities. This latter way is the “Libertarian Way.”   

Being community centered, the “Libertarian Way” is fueled by the natural impulse of any community member who cares for people that he/she knows personally – friends, family, co-workers. My attraction to the “Libertarian Way” is because it seems so natural to me as a compassionate and responsible man.

While the lure of the Government Way still beckons occasionally, especially when my plate is full with other responsibilities, I am quick to remember all the ways that government has failed us. The fleeting shred of guilt I feel when I find myself tempted by the ‘easy way out’ is now replaced with a sense of pride and honor as I turn to the more trustworthy “Libertarian Way” and experience the ‘joys of giving’ when I personally witness the results of my efforts.

It is difficult for many of us to imagine living in a Canada with a much smaller government footprint than we have come to know and expect in our lives. The unknown can be frightening.

Today I read “Volunteerism Trumps Taxes” in the National Post [page A19] which describes how the Colorado Springs community of citizens has taken control of its runaway city government spending problem by passing, by referendum, a Taxpayer Bill of Rights. The TABOR, as it is known, strictly controls City Council to prevent it from spending more that it collects in taxes and from introducing new spending initiatives with approval of the citizens. This story is a heartening example of how ordinary citizens will contribute their time and resources to provide needed services on a voluntary basis. 

A Taxpayer Bill of Rights is a long overdue feature of our democracy in Ontario as well as Canada. Let’s join together and follow the example of Colorado Springs. Let’s reshape our society by rebuilding community spirit and let’s all take part in becoming Community Champions who, through volunteerism, can radically reduce the need for the size, cost and waste of today’s government institutions. Let’s privatize the services that should never have been part of government in the first place. Let’s enable our citizens to be more engaged in priority-setting and decision-making by creating an online web portal to host a referendum whenever significant changes in government costs and programs are tabled for consideration.

Most important, let’s renew our democracy around our communities. Let’s shed the centralized, statist model of government that has proven to be so ineffective at meeting the needs of a richly diverse, complex and challenge-plagued world in which we all inhabit.  This too is a change that is long overdue.