Recently vice presidential debate In a meeting with Sen. J.D. Vance and Gov. Tim Walz, both leaders emphasized that families are the backbone of America. But they took the wrong approach by suggesting that families’ challenges could be solved with more government involvement. From extending child tax credit For advocating new social programs, the solution implies that government can strengthen families. This is a dangerous misconception.
Instead of empowering families, government programs often create dependence and stifle personal responsibility.
Families thrive when they are able to shape their future, not when they are constrained by bureaucracy. Every time the government introduces a new program or benefit, that freedom is diminished and replaced with control.
Assistance that begins with good intentions often leads to dependence on the state. For example, expanding the child tax credit may appear to help families in the short term, but behind the scenes it is just another form of wealth redistribution. The government often makes conditional concessions from some families to give to others, reducing overall freedom and fostering a culture of dependency.
as milton friedman Despite much debate, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Every dollar spent on social programs has to come from somewhere: from today’s taxpayers, or worse, from future generations. inherit a debt.
Politicians insisting on increasing government borrowing will not help families. They are placing a financial burden on the very children they claim to support. Such government intervention impedes self-reliance and undermines the virtues that strengthen families, such as responsibility and initiative.
The real solution to helping families is less government intervention, not more.
By cutting government spending and lowering taxes, families can keep more of their hard-earned money. When families have more control over their income, they can make decisions tailored to their needs, such as saving for a home, investing in their children’s education, or starting a small business. .
Families are far better able to allocate resources than bureaucrats in Washington.
Furthermore, reducing the scale of government programs promotes independence. For example, work requirements are essential for reduction. welfare dependence. When individuals are encouraged to contribute to society through meaningful work, they can restore a sense of dignity and self-respect, which are important elements of the stability and strength of the family unit.
Government benefits with no incentive to work trap individuals in a cycle of poverty and dependence. Over time, these people lose their desire to improve their situation, weakening the family structure.
An important area where this is evident is criminal justice reform.
Too many fathers, especially in minority communities, are incarcerated for non-violent crimes, leaving families without a primary breadwinner and creating emotional and financial burdens. This is another case where excessive government intervention in the form of over-criminalization has caused more harm than good.
Systemic reforms that focus on reintegration and second chances will help families in need far more than government welfare payments. A strong family depends on the presence of responsible and current role models. Keeping families intact is essential to breaking the cycle of poverty that plagues many communities.
The rising cost of living is also a major problem for families, but government intervention often exacerbates this problem.
In housing, health careeducation, regulations, and taxes increase costs and make life difficult for families. For example, restrictive zoning laws and excessive property taxes increase housing costs. Rather than creating new government programs to subsidize housing, a better approach is to eliminate these regulations to reduce the tax burden and allow the free market to provide more affordable solutions. Probably.
Free markets have a track record of lowering prices and increasing access, but government involvement often does the opposite.
Governments should protect individual rights and ensure a level playing field, and should not interfere by attempting to redistribute wealth or manage the economy. Personal responsibility and financial freedom are the keys to prosperity. Families need the freedom to choose how they work, spend their time, and live their lives.
More government programs don’t strengthen families; they strengthen freedom.
Politicians like Vance and Walz, while well-intentioned, miss the broader perspective. Families don’t need more government programs. They need more freedom. This includes the freedom to work, spend money as you like, and live without undue regulation. By reducing the size of government, lowering taxes, and eliminating burdensome regulations, we give families the tools they need to succeed on their terms.
The key to strengthening families is not expanding government, but reducing its role. Families thrive when they have the freedom to make their own choices without government pressure dictating their lives. The best way to help families is to help them keep more of the money they earn, remove bureaucratic red tape that hinders opportunity, and foster a culture of personal responsibility. When families have more freedom to pursue their goals, society will be richer not only for them but for the country as a whole.
Dr. Vance Zinnpresident of Ginn Economic Consulting, host of the Let People Prosper Show, and previously served as chief economist at President Trump’s OMB. Follow him on X.com. @VanceGinn.
