My most admirable friends are my greatest fear.

Last night I was catching up with a former high school classmate on facebook and came upon the realization which is in the title of this entry. This particular young woman was a smart and motivated student when we shared AP classes in Columbus, GA. For the past year and a half, she's been working for various campaigns on the left. Because I am a constitutionalist at heart, I was struck by a comment she posted on her profile: "this is so not funny anymore. Can someone please find Gov. Palin a copy of the U.S. Constitution?!" She was referring to Palin's response in the V.P. debate to the question of the responsiblities of the vice president. A constitutionalist would have a simple answer to this simple question and it would come straight out of that document. Sarah Palin's fumbled response did not resemble what our founding fathers wrote. I really like Palin and don't want to hash her, but that isn't the only time she's dissappointed me with her b.s. answers. Conservative writer Kathleen Parker accurately sums up my feelings about her in this article.

Anyway, to the point. I said I really like Palin. Well, I also really like this former classmate of mine, Christina. And I also really like several ladies with whom I had the pleasure of attending college -- Elizabeth, whose passion is educating underpriveleged children; Courtney, a tree-hugging, enlightened Christian; and Leigh, who has a huge heart for Kenya. There are others as well. The problem I see is that these women, who really only have the noblest of intentions, see the government as a place of opportunity. I don't blame them. Many leaders have come before them to set the example for this model: let's ask the government to help. I'm sure I sound looney right now to those of you who believe in that model. Its not that I don't want the world to be a better place, its that I see noble projects become corrupted when we allow our government (especially federal) oversight for these projects. I was intrigued when my younger brother returned from volunteering in D.C. area homeless shelters and could talk endlessly about how much worse the government-run shelters were than those operated by the private sector. Another example, and why I agree with Thomas Woods, Jr. when he said "I would support foreign aid only if I hated the human race," is revealed in this 20/20 episode. But besides the fact that I'm hurt by other humans hurting as a result of failed governement intervention, I'm hurt by the fiscal waste that happens simultaenously. This waste is the reason I consider these admirable people to be some of my greatest enemies. It is a strange duality and awareness I have now, as I cheer with these friends for our alma maters in football season, to have such respect for their causes, and to see at the same time the unraveling of our country through budget deficits and an undermined Constitution.