The 'Fairness' Fraud

[Conservative]

Excellent piece by Thomas Sowell.


RealClearPolitics - The 'Fairness' Fraud

During a recent Fox News Channel debate about the Obama administration's tax policies, Democrat Bob Beckel raised the issue of "fairness."

He pointed out that a child born to a poor woman in the Bronx enters the world with far worse prospects than a child born to an affluent couple in Connecticut.

No one can deny that. The relevant question, however, is: How does allowing politicians to take more money in taxes from successful people, to squander in ways that will improve their own reelection prospects, make anything more "fair" for others?

Countries whose politicians have been able to squander ever larger amounts of a nation's resources have not only failed to make the world more fair, the concentration of more resources and power in these politicians' hands has led to results that were often counterproductive at best, and bloodily catastrophic at worst.

Four years ago, TV interviewer Charles Gibson pointed out to candidate Barack Obama that raising capital gains tax rates had on a number of occasions led to less capital gains tax revenue being collected -- and, conversely, lowering the capital gains tax rates had on other occasions increased the amount of capital gains revenue collected by the government.

Obama readily admitted that. But he said that "fairness" justified a higher tax rate on "the rich." Yet how does a higher tax rate on paper, without a real increase in the amount of taxes actually collected, promote fairness?

What is worse than class warfare is phony class warfare. Slippery talk about "fairness" is at the heart of this fraud by politicians seeking to squander more of the nation's resources.

 

[Trajan]

bob beckel should go to borders and find a book on critical thinking and have someone read it to him...

 

[Conservative]

bob beckel should go to borders and find a book on critical thinking and have someone read it to him...

You DID see the (D) after his name... right?

 

[Ernie S.]

Excellent piece by Thomas Sowell.


RealClearPolitics - The 'Fairness' Fraud

During a recent Fox News Channel debate about the Obama administration's tax policies, Democrat Bob Beckel raised the issue of "fairness."

He pointed out that a child born to a poor woman in the Bronx enters the world with far worse prospects than a child born to an affluent couple in Connecticut.

No one can deny that. The relevant question, however, is: How does allowing politicians to take more money in taxes from successful people, to squander in ways that will improve their own reelection prospects, make anything more "fair" for others?

Countries whose politicians have been able to squander ever larger amounts of a nation's resources have not only failed to make the world more fair, the concentration of more resources and power in these politicians' hands has led to results that were often counterproductive at best, and bloodily catastrophic at worst.

Four years ago, TV interviewer Charles Gibson pointed out to candidate Barack Obama that raising capital gains tax rates had on a number of occasions led to less capital gains tax revenue being collected -- and, conversely, lowering the capital gains tax rates had on other occasions increased the amount of capital gains revenue collected by the government.

Obama readily admitted that. But he said that "fairness" justified a higher tax rate on "the rich." Yet how does a higher tax rate on paper, without a real increase in the amount of taxes actually collected, promote fairness?

What is worse than class warfare is phony class warfare. Slippery talk about "fairness" is at the heart of this fraud by politicians seeking to squander more of the nation's resources.

Thank you sir! It IS Wednesday. Must read Sowell. Williams' column comes out today too. How racist of me that these 2 men are always part of my Wednesday!

 

[Katzndogz]

The concept of fairness is based on the idea of equality of outcome.

 

[Conservative]

The concept of fairness is based on the idea of equality of outcome.

unless ALL things are equal... upbringing, environment, personality, emotional state, income, etc., you will NEVER have equal outcomes everywhere, for everyone. It simply isn't possible.

 

[Ernie S.]

The concept of fairness is based on the idea of equality of outcome.

Which is impossible to control long term.
If you took all of Bill Gates billions and distributed the money evenly between one million poor people, in 10 years 95% would be poor again and Gates would be a billionaire.

 

[Old Rocks]

Fairness is when a worker recieves increases in pay commensurate with the increases in production. This has not happened in this nation. The increases in profits has all gone to the already wealthy. That can be changed voluntarily, or by taxation. At this point, I see taxation as the only way, as the GOP has made greed a virtue rather than a vice.

 

[Dr.Drock]

Hopefully by election time everyone sees this lie for what it is.

Democrats don't want to raise taxes on the rich, hence why they didn't when they had full power. They want their voters to think they want to raise taxes on the rich, and republicans want their voters to think democrats want to raise taxes on the rich.

Why would reps or dems want to raise taxes on the people who give them bribes?

 

[g5000]

Thomas Sowelll is something of a hero to me. I highly recommend his books. He is a protege of Milton Friedman and currently occupies that chair. His criticisms of "fairness" come directly from the great man himself.

 

[Misty]

The concept of fairness is based on the idea of equality of outcome.

More attractive people get further in life so should we pay for face transplant for the ugly so it will be fair?

There is no such thing as fair. If you want to succeed you must do it on your own or else it is worthless.

 

[Peach]

The concept of fairness is based on the idea of equality of outcome.

Which is impossible to control long term.
If you took all of Bill Gates billions and distributed the money evenly between one million poor people, in 10 years 95% would be poor again and Gates would be a billionaire.

Gates helps the poor without being forced to; if all the wealthy did, it would make a difference. Now, about that CRADLE TO THE GRAVE promise to Iraqis; why not delete THAT. Still, the trillion wasted on Bush's war, SO FAR, can never be recovered. Contrast THAT with the cost of US help in removing Kaddafi.

 

[Truthmatters]

What is ominous is the ease with which some people go from saying that they don't like something to saying that the government should forbid it. When you go down that road, don't expect freedom to survive very long.
Thomas Sowell




Read more: Thomas Sowell Quotes - Page 3 - BrainyQuote

 

[Dr.Drock]

What is ominous is the ease with which some people go from saying that they don't like something to saying that the government should forbid it. When you go down that road, don't expect freedom to survive very long.
Thomas Sowell




Read more: Thomas Sowell Quotes - Page 3 - BrainyQuote

Odd that you'd post that quote, when your beloved state of California forbids simple everyday things like football throwing and mcdonald's toys.

 

[bripat9643]

Gates helps the poor without being forced to; if all the wealthy did, it would make a difference. Now, about that CRADLE TO THE GRAVE promise to Iraqis; why not delete THAT. Still, the trillion wasted on Bush's war, SO FAR, can never be recovered. Contrast THAT with the cost of US help in removing Kaddafi.

What did we gain by removing Kaddafi? Now we have a worse gang of thugs in charge.

 

[Truthmatters]

Thomas Sowell was a Marxist in his twenties.

 

[g5000]

Thomas Sowell was a Marxist in his twenties.

And then he started thinking.

 

[WillowTree]

Hopefully by election time everyone sees this lie for what it is.

Democrats don't want to raise taxes on the rich, hence why they didn't when they had full power. They want their voters to think they want to raise taxes on the rich, and republicans want their voters to think democrats want to raise taxes on the rich.

Why would reps or dems want to raise taxes on the people who give them bribes?

Then why do they keep lying and saying they do? Why are they liars?

 

[Truthmatters]

How many on the left have you condemed for having things like that in their past?

 

[Truthmatters]

Mind-changing Books (Thomas Sowell)