If you have a wad of $20 bills in your pocket are you responsible for the fact that I only have a lone ten spot in my wallet? Is your suburban domicile with the two car attached garage the reason Mary lives in inner-city government housing? Does Richard's meal at a high-end steakhouse mean I have to eat pancakes for supper?
I will give you time to think about those questions. It is clear that my neighbor's lifestyle or wealth has nothing to do with my bank balance. Then why do we care that Bill Gates has more money than some Third World countries? Leftists are obsessed with the idea that it is unfair that the Haves possess way more than the Have Nots. But the two are not related. Your new BMW has nothing to do with my son's 2005 Malibu and its shorted out right brake light.
Progressives are intent on making the rich pay their "fair share". How much is "fair" and who decides? If we took 100% of the income, wealth, and assets of the top 1% do you know what we would have?
A new top 1%.
That is why the whole income disparity argument is so silly. Wealth is not finite. It is not like an apple pie where we all get a slice, some get a big piece, others a sliver. No, we can make more pie! And if we run short on apples we can bake cherry pie.
As the World's economic powers meet this week in Switzerland (at a high-end resort beyond the means of all but the globe's wealthiest citizens) there is discussion about income disparity. There is concern over a report that eight men have more money than the combined wealth of half the world. It does not matter if it is true or not. The fact that Warren Buffet can light his cigar with a rolled $100 bill and never notice the loss has absolutely nothing to do with the fact I'm a little short on covering my gas bill this month.
Just because one of the billionaires could pay off my mortgage with an hour's interest does not give me the right to take his money and distribute it to those who have less.
Life is never going to be fair. No matter if I practiced twelve hours a day, I will never play basketball in the NBA. Heck, I probably could not compete down at the local YMCA. The Constitution guarantees we all begin the race at the same starting line. It does not mean I can outrun Usain Bolt. Should we tie his legs to ensure we all finish the 100 Meter dash together? Why should we expect different when it comes to the race of life?
I suspect the point was more that they were all leftists or left-leaning...you know...the kind of people who tell us that rich people are bad.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that they did not include George Soros or Tom Steyer in that list.
True, but Liberals will never understand that their failures are their fault.
ReplyDeleteJOG
No, their failures are our fault for not sufficiently appreciating their genius.
ReplyDelete