As commentary on my views, I rarely find anything as wrong-headed as the assertion that I’m “voting against (my) self-interest.” I recently encountered a typically obnoxious example (and with a race card bonus!).
These assessments of my motivations are at best presumptuous, and at worst ignorant. They assume a single, predictable effect of a proposed law or view, and if that single, predictable effect is good for me, then what kind of dolt am I to vote against it?
It usually seems closely related to the belief that all good things flow from government. Why would any minimum-wage worker vote for a candidate who opposes increasing the minimum wage? Well, how about because the worker understands that the result of the increase might be the loss of his/her job, and not a raise?
How about because the worker is thinking, not parroting? Hey, let’s make the minimum wage one million dollars an hour. Everybody works a week, and then retires. Ridiculous, right? Hey, guess what? Making it $15 or $20 is a bad idea for exactly the same reason. It’s only a matter of degree.
It’s uncanny how often someone prattling about me “voting against my self-interest” is advocating larger government, increased regulation, or both.
Consequently it’s becoming a rather reliable tune-out trigger.
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