F$*$ Free Stuff

by Kim D.

I know someone told me at a young age, "Baby there ain't nothing for free that's worth a damn." Probably my grandmother - sounds just like something she would have said.  I must have listened because I've typically found this advice golden.  Or maybe as I get older the more cynical I become. S0 fuck (or G-rated "fudge") free - it simply isn't worth a damn  (daggum) is what I'll pass along to my son and hope he listens as well.

Free healthcare! Free college! Free jobs! Free rent!  It's the Progressive mantra:  Free shit for everyone! To accept this notion first we would have to acknowledge that services like these are not free.  To pay for free stuff, government would have to confiscate funds via taxes to take a stab at covering the cost. For people who aren't used to paying a lot of tax, this doesn't seem to be a big deal. Or it won't until it hits their pocketbooks as it absolutely must to generate the money needed to fund all things "free."

Per National Review, 

Taking all of these proposals together, Democrats would increase federal spending by around $40 trillion over the next ten years. To put that in perspective, the federal government will take in approximately $3.3 trillion in taxes this year [2018] and spend $4.1 trillion.

But there's an even larger problem with this than wealth confiscation - once we agree to let government handle all costs for us, it becomes the purchaser of our free shit. Freedom to make healthcare, college, job, or living choices becomes even more limited with only the most wealthiest among us escaping the majority of restrictions.  Presumably they still will have some funds leftover to afford the doctor they want to see and the private schools they want their children to attend.  They would have no need for a guaranteed government job paying a living wage and most likely can keep at least one mansion.

For the young Socialists who have been groomed to aggressively push for that Utopian society where we all collectively contribute for everyone's needs (and save the Earth in the next 12 years), gather all your friends and try this simple test.  Sit in a circle and then look to the friend on the left and then to the one on the right.  Do you completely trust both with your health and economic well being?  Do you trust them with your boyfriend or girlfriend? Do you trust them not to drink the last sip of milk in your fridge?  If you can't answer unquestionably yes to all of these questions, then wake up. Human nature has never allowed such "you can trust me" behavior and it never will.

Don't think for a second that you will actually like the benefits of your free stuff nor will this Utopian society make you a more productive and happier adult. Take the case of Joe who touts the benefits of his free tuition:

Medical student Joe Babinski believes free tuition will help him to become a better doctor, because he “can focus on learning the medicine and being good at it,” instead of having to work through school. https://t.co/VJdd3v79Rc pic.twitter.com/OBcPIq7mK0

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) April 7, 2019

Human nature strikes again - not "working" or having skin in the game doesn't make one better. On the contrary, free things aren't worth a damn and walks one down a dangerous road. What makes Joe think he can reap the reward as a doctor, who will essentially be working for the government, for a living wage?