At the core of socialism rests a fundamental misunderstanding (or deliberate neglect) of how we have all the great things we do, such as computers, iPods, cell phones, airplanes, cable TV, tasty foods, disease curing drugs, child safety seats, airbags, satellite communication, Google, YouTube, MP3 music, etc., etc.
All those things were invented by people seeking material rewards!
Yet, what do socialists want to do as soon as someone gains those material rewards? They want to take much of the rewards... Read More→
It is tempting to think that government can become a benevolent overseer of society, however considering the same people that make up society at large, also make up the government, this expectation is utterly unrealistic. If there are thieves in the private sector, then there are thieves in the government. But, the government is a body that polices itself, decides what is and isn’t legal for itself to do, and spends other people’s money taken by using various methods of coercion, including... Read More→
High taxation discourages entrepreneurship, investment and attempts at high achievement, while at the same time transferring money to a wasteful government. This suffocates the economy, leading to less economic activity from which to tax. At the same time, a slower economy creates higher demand for social services due to unemployment, lower standard of living, etc. In addition, social programs create their own increased demand for more social spending, as people come to rely on the government.
Consequently,... Read More→
How many people do you know that, if given a large lottery win, would still keep their job and do the best they can to please their boss and company they work for? Approximately none!
In general, the more of a person’s life is guaranteed by someone else, the less incentive that person has to earn and be productive. After all, if some or all of your needs are taken care of, and if someone else picks up the tab whenever something goes wrong, why would you worry about such minor details as work... Read More→
The billionaire Rochester businessman Tom Golisano has announced that he is leaving new york to avoid a $13,000 a day state tax bill and put the money to better use such as charities and his political action committee. Golisano is planning on moving his residence to Florida, where there are no state income taxes. You can read the full story in the Buffalo News.
This is prime example of how a soak the rich strategy doesn’t quite work out as advertised. By leaving, Golisano not only deprives... Read More→
Many are temped to assume that money collected by the government goes to help the poor and downtrodden, however, much of that money ends up in the hands of the rich and politically connected, those who have the most resources and ability to lobby for it.
Once money is transferred from the taxpayer to the government, regardless of its intended appropriation, it’s up for grabs by anyone who has the know-how and funds to lobby for it. (Even Social Security taxes, which are supposedly specifically... Read More→
Social programs create their own need and demand for the very services they provide. Here are a few examples:
Social Security – Since people know they would be receiving a social security check upon retirement, they are less likely to fully save for it on their own. Why would they? It would be completely self defeating to save for a portion of your retirement if you know it’s going to be covered by the government.
Child Welfare Payments – If a mother on welfare receives... Read More→
Contemporary American socialist politicians, first and foremost Barack Obama, love to ballyhoo their soak-the-rich, wealth redistribution policies as means of giving everyone an equal shot at the American dream.
However, by doing so, those same policies impose difficulties upon entrepreneurs who want to launch or expand a business. The difficulties come in the form of more taxation and more regulation. Taxation reduces the amount of money available to start and expand a business, while regulation... Read More→
It’s well known that an increase in taxes on an activity results in less of that activity. This is because taxes make an activity cost more. Therefore, a sure way for government to reduce income producing activity, is to increase income taxes. And a sure way for government to reduce investment activity is to increase taxes on investment profits, a.k.a. capital gains. Less income and less investment means a slower economy.
It’s the Poor and Middle Class Who Get Hurt Most by a Slow... Read More→
Mandatory employment benefits are government or union required extras an employer must pay in order to keep an employee. Those include minimum wage, payroll taxes, vacation time, family leave, insurance, severance, etc.
The typical socialist narrative is that we must protect the rights of the employee at the expense of the profits of the evil, greedy business owners. However, what they don’t tell you is that employee benefits not only come at the expense of business profits, but also come... Read More→
