Consequences matter more than intentions

This is so good that I am forced to lift it almost entirely-

Obama And That Road That's Paved With Good Intentions

From Campaign Spot reader Mark:

Yesterday Rush played on his radio show Obama saying, “The government should ensure that every person has a shot at success.”

His philosophy is the very reason we are in the financial crisis. Simply replace the words “…at success” in his statement above with “…at owning a home.”

Presto, the financial crisis due to Obama’s philosophy.

While I don't think it's quite that simple, one of the many frustrations with McCain is the absence of a theme that when it comes to policy-making, good intentions aren't enough. Most social welfare programs were set up with the intent to help the poor, not to foster a state of chronic, multi-generational dependency. Banning DDT was meant to prevent people's exposure to pollutants, not foster a comeback of malaria.
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To put it in terms our friends on the left can understand, America invaded Iraq with good intentions.

In the end, consequences matter more than intentions, and the voters ought to have that in mind when they enter the voting booth...

(emphasis mine)