On Redistribution
This, in my opinion, sums it up well:
There is, in fact, a manly and lawful passion for equality which excites men to wish all to be powerful and honored. This passion tends to elevate the humble to the rank of the great; but there exists also in the human heart a depraved taste for equality, which impels the weak to attempt to lower the powerful to their own level, and reduces men to prefer equality in slavery to inequality with freedom.
- Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy In America
I don’t know what will happen on Tuesday. Polls don’t mean anything to me except for the one we have tomorrow. Soon we’ll decide whether we wish to strongly pursue redistribution and other policies that have proven economically destructive (and some that will be). It’s funny that only 30 years ago, at the wane of the Carter administration, that Milton Friedman had so effectively argued against such actions. If we go down that road, so be it – I firmly believe we, collectively, get what we deserve.
Hold on the ride may get bumpy.
UPDATE: This won’t help either. Obama talks cap-and-trade and seems fine with the idea of bankrupting the coal industry (video available here) and seriously increasing energy costs.
Based on what both presidential candidates claim to believe it looks like a comparatively small number of partisan activists on both sides already decided for redistribution and socialism. Both candidates are just about equally bad.
Besides…the current guy in the White House has done more to forward the cause of socialist government in our nation than any president since FDR.
I disagree. I don’t care for McCain but he’s not anywhere near as bad as Obama when it comes to economic issues and, especially, on foreign policy/defense. Nor do I see any wholesale redistribution in the McCain campaign (other than the cap-and-trade garbage).
Edit: Oops I need to slap myself hard – McCain also went for the bailout besides cap and trade.
Many other issues I have with Obama can be found here and the issues highlighted in the post are in direct opposition to McCain’s positions and experiences.
As for President Bush, a read of history since FDR would show he hasn’t done the most to further socialist policies. He hasn’t helped and certainly wasn’t a Reagan but such a statement ignores some of the other policies and directions other Presidents (and Congress) have taken. I would also say that when it comes to presidencies, typically, it takes years (usually, at least, a decade) before any real assessments on the success or impacts can be made.
When you give people a tax rebate, of their own money, that’s not redistribution. Don’t give me McCain’s theory that only federal income taxes count as taxes, that’s nonsense.
The Bush administration has been redistributing wealth for eight years. Not since the 1920s has income inequality been this great.
McCain’s foreign policy is all devised by unrepentant neocons who want to go to war with Iran and Syria. IMHO a bad idea. I’m very, very glad he’s not going to the White House.
When you don’t pay tax, a rebate is redistribution, period. That is not your money you are getting, it’s someone else’s.