politics of a six year old

Gina and I worked late at the office last night. We had the girls with us and it was simply too late go home and cook something. We also needed to do a grocery run, so we decided to eat at a restaurant near the grocery store. In the restaurant, my six year old daughter Kelsey, was sitting across from me. Her face was beaming a precious smile for her daddy.

"What is it Kelsey?"
"Daddy - if you were king of the whole world, what would you do?"
"The whole world?"
"Yes Daddy, what would you do if you were President?"

There was no way I was going to give my little one an answer that she would understand, so I didn't even try. I knew whatever I said would be in grown-up tongues and fly far above her sweet little head. My response from my lips with the quick ease of a Jack Webb monologue. My daughter looked at me across the table the whole time as if she were comprehending every word of my grown-up tongues.

"If I were President, I would make the government accountable to the people and not the people accountable to the government. I would do my best to decrease the power and influence of government upon the individual by over-hauling the tax system. I'd lower taxes and establish a flat tax. People are over burdened by taxes. Government should not be in the business of putting people out of business. By putting power back to individuals hands - their families and businesses can prosper. I would demand that government become fiscally responsible - and live within a tight budget. I would do away with wasteful and damaging programs that promote people's dependence on government - rather enact only those things that encourage individual responsibility and independence. If the people are free to flourish - the nation will flourish."

Gina sat there with an odd look on her face as I briefly laid out my platform to my six year old daughter. A half a moment after I quit talking - Gina looked down to Kelsey and asked her what she would do if she were President of the United States.

Without hesitating (you could tell she had been giving this some thought) Kelsey replied, "I would take care of everybody - and I would build me a big tower."

"Out of the mouth of babes", I thought as I looked at my six year old democratic candidate for President.

Gina looked up at me and smiled, "It's human nature David."

I've got my work cut out for me.