Message to a Young Conservative

By Dan Hagen

You’re pretty young, still sporting the sunny, unforgiving confidence of youth.  That's great. But conservatives are also supposed to value experience.

And with experience, you will learn that things happen in life. People are bankrupted. They become seriously ill. They become depressed and lose their job after their child dies. Any savings they had are wiped out. 

I suppose, when they get old, we could just let them die out in the cold for their misfortune. Before and during the 1930s, we did the next best thing — shoved them in "poor houses" operated on the cheap by counties, where they were expected to be humble and grateful for their oatmeal and the minimal heating. Barbara Bush would have said things had worked out quite well for them, what with all that free soup and a cot.

Of course, that will never happen to you. You are the master of your fate, the captain of your soul and above mere mortal misfortune.

Lucky you.