Rickety Assumptions

Obama keeps saying that the cost of health care reform will be borne, at least partially, by increased taxes on the rich. Why is this notion considered unobjectionable, even fair, by so many people? Why should the wealthy be taxed at a higher rate, simply because they earn more money? Presumably, under the health care programs being considered by Congress, the rich would be subject to the same awful quality of care as everybody else; therefore, there is no justification at all for compelling the rich to pay a “premium”, except in the context of class warfare. This is the Willie Sutton philosophy of fiscal policy (“Why do you rob banks, Willie?” “Because that’s where they keep the money.”)

Quite aside from the smash and grab outlook taken by Democrats is the moronic, static methodology of their calculations. It is inevitable that the wealthy, faced with this latest assault on their resources, will do everything in their power to reduce their reportable income, from taking advantage of unproductive ( but tax-advantaged) loopholes, to immigrating to tax havens, to foregoing new investments, to going “John Galt.” Small business owners, who are probably the most vulnerable among the so-called “rich”, will curtail expansion, lay people off or go out of business altogether.

It is the sheer obviousness of the economy-wrecking provisions of the Democratic health care packages under consideration - which, of course, go far beyond mere tax policy – that really gives the game away for Obama and like-minded people in his Party. Obama Care – like cap-and-trade, like the “stimulus” bill, like the endless bailouts – represents the pursuit of a statist paradigm, no matter what the cost, and no matter what the ultimate results. How many times in each generation are we going to have to fend off these attempts to aggrandize the power of the federal government at the expense of our individual freedom? As many times as necessary, I suppose; but concerned citizens, and responsible elected officials, regardless of party affiliation, need to focus not just on the details of this policy or that program, but on the worldview that gives rise to these constant and insidious attempts to convert us from self-sufficient individuals into powerless wards of the State.