The moral of the story is simple: Don't presume to know how things work until you've actually done them yourself.
That's why I don't trust a politician who hasn't put his own money at risk in a business on which his livelihood depends. Such a politician has no real idea of the debilitating effects of taxation and regulation on the entrepreneurial spirit, job creation, and employee compensation.
That's why I don't trust a politician who thinks that fallible human beings can magically solve problems when they become government employees.
That's why I don't trust a politician to do the right thing when it comes to dealing with a tragedy like the Schiavo case if that politician hasn't faced the death of a loved one whose life might yet be saved.
Full disclosure:
- In my days of playing catch, which I did seriously for many years, I seldom broke off a good curveball even though I could throw fast, far, and with good control.
- I have owned and operated a business into which I poured a substantial portion of my savings and which was the sole source of income for my family and me.
- I worked in and closely with the federal government for 32 years.
- I have a child whose life was in mortal danger but was saved by a timely operation, from which he has long since recovered fully.
