You’ve Met Julia the Moocher, Now Meet Emily

The Obama campaign’s “Life of Julia” ad is a disturbing sign. It suggests that political strategists, pollsters, and campaign advisers must think that the people living off government are getting to the point where they can out‐​vote the people paying for government.


If that’s true, America is doomed to become another Greece — which would be an appropriate fate since, for all intents and purposes, Julia is the fictional twin of a real‐​life Greek woman who thought it was government’s job to give her things.


In general, I think the best response to Julia is mockery, which is why I shared this Iowahawk parody and this Ramirez cartoon.


But we also need a serious discussion of why dependency is a bad thing, which is why I’m glad the Center for Freedom and Prosperity has produced this new “Economics 101” video.

It’s narrated by Emily O’Neill, who contrasts the moocher mentality of Julia with how she wants her life to develop. To give away the message, she wants the kind of fulfillment that only exists when you earn things.


Emily’s view could be considered Randian libertarianism, conventional conservatism, or both. That’s because there’s a common moral belief in both philosophies that government‐​imposed coercion and redistribution erode the social capital of a people.


This is perhaps the key issue for America’s future, which is why I hope you’ll share this video widely. Otherwise, we my face a future where this Chuck Asay cartoon becomes reality. Speaking of Asay, this cartoon is a pretty good summary of what the Julia ad is really saying.