In this crucial election year, the presidential race has, more or less, become a ballot issue. The decision is simple: Obama?yes or no? With Obama comes a tax plan that will lower taxes for all individuals making less than $250,000 while placing a substantial tax increase on richer individuals. The alternative is McCain's plan, which cuts taxes for all Americans but more so for wealthier ones. Obama's plan is heavily redistributive to say the least, while McCain's seeks to lessen the burden of taxes on the economy. Conservatives who support McCain-style taxation are often portrayed by liberals as not caring about the poor. Let me clear this up: Conservatives care just as much about poor Americans as liberals do. The only difference is conservatives believe that the free-market and economic growth will benefit the poor more than government run redistribution. The inefficiencies and fraud rates of current redistributive policy lend further support to the conservative's argument. Crucial to this debate is the idea of liberty and whose plan will protect it.
First, let's examine some basic liberties. The idea of liberty is based on the concept of self-ownership. You own your life and any product of your life. This includes any wealth one might accrue. To take from someone, against their will, a product of their life is to diminish their liberty. Only when both parties give consent to a transaction can it be mutually beneficial. Similarly, it is an attack on liberty for a group, such as government, to take from an individual by force, or without his consent. Any institution which makes laws that directly contradict basic human nature and liberty will create conflict. History is ridden with examples of revolution fueled by attacks against man's liberty. As Butler Shaffer said, "A society will remain as free or as enslaved as the conscious dispositions of the individuals determine it shall be." Keep this in mind when it comes to redistribution.
The current system of redistribution in America has become institutionalized. As government expanded, jobs were created, and more people came to benefit from big government. Bigger government meant more taxes and now we are stuck with a massive government that operates well outside the ideas of our forefathers. What ever happened to "that which governs least, governs best"? We will not have progress in this country until the American people realize that the government cannot and should not be responsible for a majority of the functions it currently undertakes. We cannot continue to look to the government to help us. If the Democratic Party takes control of Congress and the White House we can expect to return to the economic conditions of Jimmy Carter's administration: double digit inflation, unemployment, and interest rates.
The alternative to Obama's plan is allowing basic liberty and economic freedom to prevail over taxes and government oppression. The free market ideology is the only way to protect liberty. The government does not need to do anything except get out of the way and allow free enterprise and entrepreneurship to bring prosperity. The private market will create any institution, agency, business, service that is truly worth having. A positive side-effect of this phenomenon is growth. Economic growth, which creates jobs and lowers interest rates, redistributes income in a way that increases total wealth. This is why conservatives support the free market; it's not because they hate poor people, it's because they believe the best way to help them is by respecting liberty and economic freedom. I'd rather create jobs then send welfare checks.
Barack Obama's plan to redistribute wealth constitutes an attack on the liberty of American citizens. The so-called "rich" that he will stick the heaviest tax burden to are also small-business owners and investors. What incentive will a small-business owner making less than $250,000 have to grow his business if the government is going to punish him for doing so? None! While his intent is admirable, his energies are misguided and his plan will only increase the plight of poor Americans. McCain's plan is in no way conservative; however, it offers a better alternative than launching a "Robin Hood"-style class war against the wealthy. It has become an American tradition to demand lower taxes and more government programs. Why not lower taxes and have fewer programs? Obama's plan can only harm the liberty of Americans and cannot be tolerated simply because it only assaults a minority. Liberals often speak of fairness but it seems they have forgotten one thing: there is all the difference in the world between treating people equally and attempting to make them equal.
Steve Robinson is a member of the Class of 2011.