this is exactly what I’ve been expressing myself lately, but in different words.

The one thing weakening America right now, in my opinion, is not socialist policy, healthcare reform, terrorism, moral laxity or any other issue. It’s internal divisiveness… and the rise of passion over reason.

We are having a civil war, minus (for now) the bloodshed. We are a body attacking itself from within, and we don’t seem to notice that the solution to so many of our problems probably lies in constructive dialogue to help heal these polarities. We have the political version of lupus or Crohn’s right now and then we wonder why we are falling apart as a nation. We wouldn’t even have to worry about terrorists or the economy if we had more of a sense of collective purpose right now. The debates going on about all the current issues, from healthcare reform to gay marriage, are all symbolic of this divide. Obama is simply the lightning rod for this debate, attracting a lot of irrational idolatry and hatred.

I’ve had many an argument with radical libertarians about the concepts you discuss here. Yes, the government always gets involved in civil issues. In every developed nation. Even a monarchy is no assurance of a government that doesn’t redistribute wealth to the have-nots. I am happy, personally, to pay taxes… whether or not they are technically illegal or the Federal Reserve has overstepped its boundaries. I have had to live on food stamps during a difficult divorce, and was grateful for being able to feed my child. I now pay my taxes with gratitude, knowing that I’ve made it through that tough place thanks to our “socialist” society that allowed us to get through to the other side. I shudder to think where my daughter and I would be now without the options we had, as a single mother and child without child support, trying to live on our own. I am grateful that Medicaid was able to assist me through my pregnancy and early motherhood as well, and I now have a commitment to repay my debt to society (if it can even be called that) by using my own success to help other have-nots make it.

Wealth to me is a fleeting gift. At some times of most of our lives, we will have and have not. To me, having the power (wealth) to share with others is a gift, not a curse. Unless someone has experienced true, crushing, nothing-in-the-fridge poverty, especially as a single parent without a support system, they can’t understand how close to impossible it is to get out of that rut without a hand up. Every civilized society I have every visited, has its version of a system of charity. Those that don’t, usually have systems of prostitution, begging and crime.

I believe government has a responsibility to redistribute (not keep!) a small portion of collective wealth. The question is not whether, but how much. If we want a pure free market society without a trace of socialist policy, then we have to get rid of many social institutions that even the far right, libertarians and many anarchists generally support. Public schooling. Fire departments. Free roads. National and urban parks. You want to be a “real” libertarian? Bomb an unoccupied playground in protest, and build a swing in your own backyard.

If we were to look at the current healthcare reform debate with more logic and less passion, one thing seems clear to me: we should stay consistent. Why is it bad to fill our children’s cavities and save their lives for free, but a given that their education and playspaces are free? Why support a baby’s right to life, if its needs for food, shelter and medical care will not be provided for? And why condemn a single mother for going on public assistance if she has no affordable or subsidized childcare options? (Often there is a years-long waiting list for such free services, even if they are technically “available.”)

I believe in consistency, logic, liberty and unity. Once America gives up our ongoing preoccupation (however faltering and riddled with missteps) with these qualities, we’re going to fall apart as a nation. This is happening already, sad to say.

Thanks for your thoughts. Hope you are well.

Sarah Noack