Among the many other questions raised by the nebulous concept of “greed” is why it is a term applied almost exclusively to those who want to earn more money or to keep what they have already earned—never to those wanting to take other people’s money in taxes or to those wishing to live on the largess dispensed from such taxation. No amount of taxation is ever described by the anointed as “greed” on the part of government or the clientele of government. . . .
Families who wish to be independent financially and to make their own decisions about their lives are of little interest or use to those who are seeking to impose their superior wisdom and virtue on other people. Earning their own money makes these families unlikely candidates for third-party direction and wishing to retain what they have earned threatens to deprive the anointed of the money needed to distribute as largess to others who would thus become subject to their direction. In these circumstances, it is understandable why the desire to increase and retain one’s own earnings should be characterized negatively as “greed,” while wishing to live at the expense of others is not.
– Prof. Thomas Sowell, Ph.D., Economics (“The Vision of the Anointed” (1995))
After all, what gives anyone the “right” to take
what they have not earned from someone else simply to give to another? Done at the point of a gun puts one in jail – yet many politicians have no qualms about taking even more as long as they say “for the common good” (even as the “good” goes to a chosen, politically connected, few). For those truly in need and cannot provide for themselves, we need to help. But for those that live for free simply because they can due to the politician laws?
Let them earn their own living instead of living parasitically. No, it is NOT charity in this case. I have seen those that truly used help as a hand up – and truly made successful lives as a result. I have also seen those that have taken advantage of the system – and only wished to live on the backs of others and showed anger when more was not given – a TRUE Entitlement mentality. And yes, they voted for those that would give them more (the few that actually voted).
(H/T: WSJ via Betsy’s Page)
