Of all the statements I hear on a daily basis, one of the most problematic is “I consider myself a Libertarian.” To me, such a statement is cringe worthy. I always enjoy following up with a question to the extent of, “So what do you believe, exactly?” From there, responses vary, but what stays consistent is the idea of a lack of government. So despite that person attended Public High School, their father went to college on the GI Bill, their grandmother draws a Social Security Check, and their cousin in on the WIC program, they still want government’s role to be less in their everyday lives. Funny how people wonder why I find the idea of being a “libertarian” problematic.

First off, let’s start with the fact that no government intervention in daily lives in the common man would result in utter chaos. Start off with a normal day. You wake up, grab a cup of coffee and head out the door to your privately owned business. Driving along the road you hit a pot hole. And another, and another. No one fixes the roads anymore. Especially out here—no one has paid the private road paving business in years! This pattern of hitting pot holes continues happens until are ‘required’ to stop at the stop sign. But you do not because there are no police officers. You pull right through. Bam! You get hit by another car with the same mindset. Immediately, you reach for your gun and emerge from the car ready to shoot. A gunshot is fired. Darn! The other guy got you first—a nice clean shot to the leg. He drives off and you have to call your wife—there are no police or ambulance services. You think “Darn, if only I would have had my assault rifle!” So immediately, she puts you in the car and takes you to a hospital. You enter to find out that you are able to be treated by the Emergency Room because you do not have insurance and will not be able to pay. But at the same time, they find out you are of the Jewish faith. The hospital is allowed to discriminate against religion; therefore, you could not have been treated by them anyway.

Fading in and out of conscience, you think, “I wish someone could help me.” Well, that helping hand you could have had was, in fact, the government. If only you had refrained from making the statement that “I wish the government had no part in my life and just left me alone.” But proudly, before it’s over, you yell out. “But at least I’m a libertarian. I do not need the government!”

Looks like libertarianism really helped you out this time, buddy. Believe it or not, as much as it disturbing to say, the government is there to help. While is answer may not mean more government, it certainly does not mean less government.