While sitting in the quagmire of D.C area traffic on my way home today I was tuned into 630am talk radio. I was listening the the Sean Hannity show (stand in host today) and the host posed an interesting question: “What is the most important issue that we, as conservatives, should draw the line on with the incoming Obama administration?”. I would have called in and given my answer but, alas, I do not carry a cell phone anymore (they’re a menace). So instead I figured I would blog it. I also figure that I will take it one step further and ask all of you to post up your answer to the question.
There are many issues on which we can and should take a stand. FOCA, energy, foreign policy, taxes, etc are all very important. What I want to know is which one do you think is the most important.
Here is my response:
We should fight the redistribution of tax payer wealth and the welfare system. Yes I know, those are two issues. However, I think that they go hand in glove (especially since the former is essentially a form of the latter). The reason that I think that this is the most important and pressing issue is fairly simple and can be summarized with one word. Socialism. Socialism (economic justice as the liberals call it) fails every time. Not only does it fail miserably but it also topples economies and breaks the back of a nation each and every time it is implemented. Now, I know what some of you are thinking: “Redistributing tax dollars isn’t complete socialism.” My response – Yes it is. It may not be complete control of all enterprise and our daily lives immediately… but once you have this tax plan the rest is inevitable.
Here is what the redistribution of wealth means for us. Success, should you be fortunate enough to achieve it, will be penalized in the form of taxation. What is the point of putting in all of the time and effort, the hard work, the blood, sweat, and tears to become wealthy and successful if you are going to wind up paying so much more in taxes that you may as well not make that extra money. Why would people continue to strive for excellence and individual worth when you can sit back, do very little, and let someone else carry the load? As things are right now 40% of the nation does NOT pay income tax. That’s right, not a bit of those heinous taxes. They do, however, receive the same benefits as those of us that pay income tax. Under the Obama plan that 40% (and that figure would likely increase greatly) will get a check. Yup, the people that don’t pay get paid instead. The arguments in favor of this plan are based solely on class warfare.
The “wealthy” already carry the burden. The already provide the jobs, the investments, and plenty of tax dollars. Under this tax plan those same individuals will, in essence, pay directly into well-fare as well. Why should the entrepreneur that worked hard and took opportunities to the betterment of their lives be punished for their success? This isn’t a simple matter of raising taxes on a higher income bracket. No, this is cutting taxes further for people that already don’t pay them and forcing the tax payers to give the untaxed a hand-out. This IS socialism. What’s more is that the motivation for success dwindles. People will stop trying. This will cause a sharp decline in business creation (thereby job creation), innovation, the standard of living, and a rise in unemployment. If you ever want an example of trickle-down economics… Raise taxes on the wealthy and businesses. They pass the buck on to the consumer (that’s you and me) in the form of higher prices for goods and services. Isn’t there an old adage about this? Something to do with shit and a hill? However, prices can only be raised so far before people will simply no longer purchase the product. This leads to businesses being shut down and unemployment for the workers. That means that there is less wealth for the government to repossess. Eventually the government will have to lower that income threshold for the higher taxes. This will continue until there is nothing left to tax. If you don’t believe me ask the U.S.S.R. oh wait… It no longer exists. Hey, you can ask Venezuela and Cuba.
You see? It leads to failure of the economy. When the economy fails so does the nation as a whole. National security disappears. Standard of living plummets. Education goes into free fall. The entire system collapses.
I know what some will say in response to that: “Well, that isn’t the most important because at most Obama has 8 years. A new president can reverse that.” To that I reply: “Once the system is in place it is fait accompli. It is immeasurably more difficult to remove a system of hand-outs once they are in place. People are not likely to give up their free money. *cough*welfare*cough*” You see, if we allow Mr. Obama to put this tax plan in play, mark my words, we WILL have socialism. The ground work is already laid with the recession (courtesy of Congress) and the bailouts (ala Bush). We are on the precipice… it won’t take much of a shove to send us tumbling, irreversibly, down that hill.
What do you all think? What do you think is the most important issue to take a stand on and why? Comment away.
Regnat Populus 