The issues

I am a lifelong Democrat and a liberal. But listening to the Democratic candidates talk about education, health care and freedom from economic hardship, there is one important thing I did not hear—individual responsibility.

America is a better, healthier and economically stronger country when its citizens are healthier, better educated and financially sound. America is also a stronger country when all of its citizens have acknowledged their blessings by service and responsibility.

Healthcare for all should expect that all are responsible for a healthy lifestyle and healthy life habits. Public support for access to good schools and colleges should require the desire and readiness for those experiences to be successful. Help out of poverty should come with the work to stay out of poverty. A year of service in military, government, religious or charitable work should be a requirement for all young people.

These are not easy things to accomplish. No caring parent would give a child everything they wanted and not expect them to show responsibility. Pie-in-the-sky proposals should come with food-on-the-table results. Besides, the lesson of personal responsibility is a gift in itself.