Service to Whom?
29 January 2008
The Editor, New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
To the Editor:
Giddy that Sen. Edward Kennedy has endorsed Barack Obama, David Brooks praises the elder pol by saying that "he himself has come to live a life of service" ("The Kennedy Mystique," January 29).
Puhhhh-leezz. Why imply that a Senator serves humankind more than does, say, a physician, a good reporter, or even a Starbucks barista? Just today, the Washington Post has an obituary for the industrial designer Viktor Schreckengost. Among his many other achievements, Mr. Schreckengost improved the handles of children's wagons, designed dinnerware for the mass market, and increased the efficiency of big trucks. Even though few people have ever heard of Viktor Schreckengost - even though he never sported the title "Hon." - even though he never held a position of power - he surely served humankind at least as much as has Sen. Kennedy.
It's time that we stop romanticizing government and the politicians who seek their fame (and often their fortunes) by running it.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
The Editor, New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
To the Editor:
Giddy that Sen. Edward Kennedy has endorsed Barack Obama, David Brooks praises the elder pol by saying that "he himself has come to live a life of service" ("The Kennedy Mystique," January 29).
Puhhhh-leezz. Why imply that a Senator serves humankind more than does, say, a physician, a good reporter, or even a Starbucks barista? Just today, the Washington Post has an obituary for the industrial designer Viktor Schreckengost. Among his many other achievements, Mr. Schreckengost improved the handles of children's wagons, designed dinnerware for the mass market, and increased the efficiency of big trucks. Even though few people have ever heard of Viktor Schreckengost - even though he never sported the title "Hon." - even though he never held a position of power - he surely served humankind at least as much as has Sen. Kennedy.
It's time that we stop romanticizing government and the politicians who seek their fame (and often their fortunes) by running it.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Saturday June 21, 2008 at 11:37am