As a young Libertarian attending Auburn University in the late 80’s and early 90’s, I came up with a new theory which I called The Kindergarten Theory of Government. Memories from my kindergarten class at Forestdale Baptist Church led to the name of this theory.

When in kindergarten, my friend Michael B. and I were pretty good architects. Using the building blocks in our kindergarten classroom we routinely built buildings much taller than we were.

From time to time when we built a very tall building, there was another kid, an idiot, who would pick up a large block, run towards our building, and hit our building with the large block, causing our building to crash down.

Being young and gullible, we would look to the teacher expecting her to right the wrong, to punish the idiot kid who knocked down our building. Guess what the teacher did on more occasions than not? She made everyone in the entire classroom stop all their play activities because of the actions of one bad kid.

The Kindergarten Theory of Government is one of the main operating theories that the United States government uses as a principle for day-to-day operation.

It's fundamental characteristic is this: It punishes the responsible citizens, the majority, for the actions of the irresponsible citizens, the minority.

The Revolution: A Mani... Ron Paul Best Price: $1.99 Buy New $6.99 (as of 11:00 EST - Details)

Let's look at some concrete examples.

A small minority of criminals use guns to commit crimes. It follows that these individuals should be punished. Yet every time we have shooting, you have legions of politicians calling for bans on all private firearms. Why? This makes no sense. There are millions, possibly billions of firearms in the hands of private U.S. citizens. If this posed such a great danger, the United States would look like Europe during World War 2. I trust my fellow citizens with guns far more than I will ever trust my government with guns.

Let's look at another example of this theory in practice: Social Security.

Unless a person has a mental defect, they have to realize that if they do not die, they will reach a point in which the deterioration of their body will not allow them to do productive work. As such, it is prudent to start saving money for when the period of productive work is over. However, one day a few politicians come along and say something like this: "We believe you are all ignorant sheep who will not save for your future. As such we are going to use the coercive power of the government to force you to save as you are too dumb to do it for your self."

So the majority of the responsible citizens who would save money for old age are forced into a savings plan that is a loser financially simply because the minority of the irresponsible citizens will not save. COMMENT: Even if the social security money were really there, the poor return makes it a BIG LOSER in pure financial terms. One could get a better return by putting their money in a low-risk mutual fund.

Weapons of Mass Instru... Gatto, John Taylor Best Price: $5.58 Buy New $16.95 (as of 03:50 EST - Details)

(I want to say for clarity that I do think social security money is O.K. to give to people with severe mental or physical handicaps, severe mental or physical defects, people with advanced senile dementia, orphans, etc. I don't think these people are entitled to this money by "right," I just think it is just the decent, humane, and practical thing to do.)

Drug-taking behavior is another area where the majority of good people are punished for the actions of the bad. Let me explain. I conservatively estimate that for every one whacked-out drug abuser/mis-user you see on the t.v. shows such as Cops, there are 5 individuals working in cubicles in office buildings who take drugs like amphetamines, narcotic analgesics, and benzodiazepine tranquilizers, purchased on the street, on a daily or near daily basis, to help them get through life and meet their responsibilities. If these type users work jobs and take care of their families, why should they be arrested and treated in the same way as whacked-out drug users you see on Cops? Again, the responsible majority is punished for the acts of the irresponsible minority.

How about the most egregious example of all: NOT DEFINING WHEN ADULTHOOD BEGINS! This is the absolute worst punishment that can be put on a young person, and it's done to the good youths (the majority) for the actions of the bad youths (the minority).

In the United States, at age 18, you can be convicted of murder and executed. However at age 18, you cannot walk into a bar and buy a beer (But you can vote for president! Ha! Ha! How much did you know at 18?) You have to be 21 for beer but only 18 for executing! Unless, you’re in the military, in which you can drink or buy alcohol if you’re under age 21, but only while on base Think of that. A young man or woman has volunteered to serve their country, to die if necessary, but they cannot walk into a bar in Las Vegas and drink alcohol Then there is tobacco: you have to be 19 to buy that.

I think the legal definition of adulthood should be age 19. Why 19? Because by the time most people get to age 19 they have graduated high school and at least had a very small taste of the real world.

SO WHY DOES THE KINDERGARTEN THEORY OF GOVERNMENT CONTINUE TO BE IMPLEMENTED OVER TIME? MORE TO THE POINT, WHY DON'T THE PEOPLE JUST BUCK THIS SYSTEM OF KINDERGARTEN TECHNIQUES OF GOVERNMENT?

Four words: Government-Mandated Public Education.

Translation: A lot, a lot of people in our United States don't know how to think due to the "education" they receive in public schools. They cannot see that their "government" is really a kindergarten class.

You will NEVER, EVER, have a society of independent, self-reliant people as long as government-mandated public education exists. Government-run public schools do not teach students how to think. They teach students how to conform and fit in with the group. Thanks to John Dewey and his ilk, the public schools were hijacked from institutions of education and made into institutions of socialization.

Dumbing Us Down: The H... Gatto, John Taylor Best Price: $1.48 Buy New $15.59 (as of 03:50 EST - Details)

In order to end the kindergarten technique of government, schools, home and private for now, and with a strong push for change, public schools in the future, should do the following:

Teach mathematical and logical reasoning. Teach the children how to think. It's very difficult to pull the wool over the eyes of a society of people trained in mathematics and logic. Teach real economics, such as the Austrian School of Economics. Explain the dangers of fiat money and private central banks like the Federal Reserve. Teach history, including the ancient western classics of history and have the students learn the fundamental principles that the history teaches instead of having them regurgitate names and dates. Encourage technical creativity in the pure and applied sciences, engineering, and technical vocations. Teach about the United States form of government, a constitutional republic, not a democracy. Focus on the Bill of Rights, especially the first, second, ninth, and tenth amendments. Focus on the fact that the federal government serves the states, and that the states DO NOT serve the federal government. Teach entrepreneurship. Teach self-reliance and set it as the highest virtue.

September 26, 2009

The Best of Kevin Swindle