Using Fed-Ex shipping and ATM machines as examples, Newt Gingrich contrasts “the world that works” with the “world that fails.” This 3:20 minute clip is worth watching. Don’t get sidetracked on his specific example — the federal government’s inability to track down illegal immigrants — of the world that fails. This video is not about illegal immigration. Gingrich is making the larger point that, for all its massive power and resources, government just can’t do many things well.
What are some of the other things that we shouldn’t trust government with? I’d start with education. Government needs to ensure that every American gets an education. But why does government have to be in the business of running schools? Government ensures that people get food to eat by providing food stamps, a form of voucher — not running the grocery stores. Why not use vouchers to ensure that people have sufficient buying power to educate their children?