Professional Athletes are Not Economists?

In her recent ESPN Outside the Lines article on the increased involvement of professional sports figures in this year's election, Paula Lavigne discusses with Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee why he has lent his vocal and monetary support to Democratic nominee Barack Obama. Not that anyone would expect a professional ballplayer to have serious economic credentials -- especially Mr. Lee, who was drafted straight out of high school in 1993 -- but his commentary is quite a good example of the prevailing economic ignorance among the average American voter.

Lee initially tells Lavigne that he believes electing Obama would be a wise move because foreign countries would finally respect the United States if she elected a black president. His reasoning, not surprisingly, doesn't make all that much sense:

"Around the world, they think we're kind of an elitist country. We kind of just go around and think we're entitled to everything," he said. "If they saw a black president, it might change that perception."

In a moment of blatant contradiction, however:

Lee gave President George W. Bush credit for helping athletes by lowering their taxes and acknowledged that probably wouldn't happen in an Obama administration, "but it doesn't matter." Supporting Obama is the right thing to do, he said.

I'm curious as to why Lee thinks it's "the right thing to do." I'm also curious as to why he believes that electing a black president would somehow show the world that we no longer believe we are "entitled to everything." Lee, a phenomenal first baseman on what might be the MLB's best team, does not offer any insightful political commentary. Again, not surprising.

However, speaking to the average voter's general economic ignorance and overall disregard for the most fundamental economic laws, Lee spews this gem (emphasis mine):

[Lee] said those who make more money should pay more taxes: "It helps our economy."

Brilliant! Give him the Clark Medal already!

Unfortunately this is precisely the sort of rhetoric that keeps politicians like Sens. Obama and McCain in positions of authority. As long as we continue to assume such economically illogical things -- like the idea that taxing wealth is productive or that the duty of American firms is to provide American jobs -- statist politicians from both sides of the aisle will continue to take the United States down what the great F.A. Hayek once called the "Road to Serfdom."