“Right track, wrong track” and what it tells us

Rasmussen Reports' recent "Right Track, Wrong Track" poll shows that just 25% of Americans believe the country is on the "right track." While I happen to be in the majority opinion here, I sometimes wonder about how to interpret results like this.

Upon seeing such low poll numbers, one might conclude that the vast majority of Americans are against President Obama's agenda. But is that really the case? Consider the following four individuals:

Jane is a strong Democrat and an Obama supporter. She voted for Obama and very much wants health care reform to pass. However, she is increasingly disgusted that her own party, with its majorities in Congress and the Presidency, cannot get this bill signed into law. In addition, she is irritated at what she calls "the obstructionist Republicans" who are making it harder to get anything done. Jane thinks we are on the wrong track.

Steve is a life-long Republican and is against almost everything on the President's and Congress' agenda. He sees them as trying to socialize medicine and cripple the economy through cap-and-trade environmental legislation. Accordingly, Steve thinks we are on the wrong track.

Mary is an Independent. She doesn't pay much attention to politics, but when she does all she sees is bickering, finger-pointing, and politicians handing out favors to special interests. In fact, that is why she doesn't pay much attention – it's just too damn depressing. She thinks the government needs to take some action to fix some problems, but isn't sure what should be done. But one thing she does know is that our current politicians are unlikely to be able to work together to figure out a solution. Mary thinks we are on the wrong track.

Torrey is a Libertarian, and is completely disgusted at the growth of government under both Republican and Democratic leadership. He sees glimmers of common ground on some issues in either party, but largely views them both as Big Government adherents, limiting individual liberty, and straying from the small, limited government dictated in the Constitution. Torrey thinks we are on the wrong track.

Ok, so here I describe four fictional people (well, three fictional and one real), all who feel the country is on the wrong track, but for potentially very different reasons. It is because of this that I just don't know what to read into a dismal poll number like this.

I guess the only thing one can read into it with any confidence is that the American people simply don't believe the government is on the right track to solve the myriad problems we're presented with these days. There may be many differences of opinion within this "wrong track" group as to what the best course of action forward is, but overall these people just don't have confidence that the government can "get it done" on major issues.

Which is my point exactly. Strong centralized government has never been good at solving problems. The great libertarian economist Milton Friedman once said:

"The great advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science or literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government."

And I assure you, the next great advances, whether they be in health care, poverty reduction, education, or anything else, will also not come from centralized government. Those things will come from free individuals working together, charitably and with a great sense of personal responsibility, free of government interference. Government can get in the way – and it often does. Government can come to the table with the best of intentions – and it often does. But government, by its nature, simply cannot efficiently and effectively solve these problems – and it often doesn't.

Luckily, a free society can - or at least has the best chance. My hopes will always rest on a free, responsible, and charitable society, protected by a small and limited constitutional government.