Government should not make everything equal
“Spreading the wealth” is based on the premise of fairness. We should all seek to be fair. But “legislated” fairness contrasts the premise on which the nation was founded, that all men are free to pursue their dreams (even selfishly).
If the nation had been founded on the premise of “legislated” fairness, then Henry Ford’s selfish dream would have been hindered. The capital needed to start such a venture would have been redistributed in the name of fairness. We would be closer economically but probably walking.
And what of medical entrepreneurs? If the forefathers’ goal had been fairness instead of protecting personal freedom to achieve, then present-day quality of life could look very different.
Legislating fairness through tax codes steps too far off the path of protecting personal freedom. Our forefathers intended us to walk this “freedom path” hoping we would achieve our individual dreams while reaching out to those struggling to survive in this land of the free.
Fairness is needed. But sharing must come from the heart, not the legislature.
The government’s job is to protect the freedom to express what is in our hearts, whether selfishness, giving, entrepreneurial dreams or a mixture of them all.
Joey Preston
Greensboro
Comments (1)
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Mr. Preston, along with many others, has it completely backwards.
This nation was founded on the premise that the capital needed to start something like Henry Ford’s dream venture could be raised though a corporation, but that corporation was to be short lived. Once the company was in positive cash territory, the corporation - which was really to provide temporary legal protection for investors - was to be disolved.
Had the Founding Fathers vision been maintained, the present-day would indeed look very different. Their goal was indeed fairness - but instead we get tax-payer funded personal protections instead of individual personal responsibility and rewards.
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As an aside: Henry Ford insisted those who worked for him be paid well enough to afford one of the Ford Cars that worker was building.
Posted on November 1, 2008 4:53 AM