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I'd like to respond on several levels.

As a retiree since 2012, I can say that I'm busier now than when I had a job and feel a lot more useful. I went from a job in my former company in 2002 where I spoke to my manager once every six months and was left on my own to accomplish my objectives in between times to my manager for the last 3 years where I wasn't allowed to go more than 3-4 hours without a "checkpoint". I can tell you that meaningful work was not part of the latter and my whole outlook suffered. Now, I set my own objectives and I'm happier than I was in the years before I retired.

Point #2. I was listening to a Dennis Prager interview online last evening. He has an interesting and useful (to me) difference between a classic Liberal point of view and the one that he terms "Leftist". There, one finds identify politics and the like. Leftism is more that expediency of subjugation in order to gain total power. Classic Liberals tolerated opposing points of view. Leftists do not and would seek to silence opposition with termination if necessary.

I think a far better example of ruining lives is the Native Americans. The Federal government has controlled their existence for a much longer time. I saw a very interesting documentary on TV more than 10 years ago which contrasted life for Native Americans who lived on government controlled land with those who did not. Casinos aside, those who lived on land which they controlled were happier and more successful. It goes without saying that when you cannot modify your own home without government signoff, there is not much incentive to do it. I was in New Mexico last month and listened to local stories about Native American families who are well off financially because of energy finds on their land but whose lives are filled with problems because that land is under Federal control. It appears that that the communities do not have the sense of purpose that is needed to thrive.