My Point of View by Jerold Dettle

From the earliest known human existence, we the people share the temptation to vocalize a claim to a moral superiority over a colleague. Thus, Moses was chosen to present three commandments that address our shared weakness. So, in the beginning, each child will grow through a moment of jealousy, possessiveness and resentment. Let us reflect on the moment we, as a voter, experience this feeling of being victimized.

During the last 240 in our nation we have debated the status of the rich in America. Since the middle of the 19th century, the modus operandi when discussing the rich has been driven by the influence of the socialist, Karl Marx.  His impact has dwelt heavily on the actions of many political leaders.  Many of them have evolved into tyrants of various styles, such as, Lenin, Trotsky, Hitler, Mao, Mussolini, Castro, Guevara, Pol Pot, Idi Amin and Kim Jong-un, to name a few. These political leaders have varied in leadership styles but all have shared a sanctimonious trait in their attempts to establish a Utopian World of their design. This egalitarian thought is where all the followers of these leaders are led to believe each person can be economically leveled and eventually reside in a Garden of Eden world. The human condition whereby leaders at the top always seem to reserve wealth and privilege for the elite, dooms the lasting effect of these political systems. Unfortunately, during the process of establishing a more perfect state, the citizenry will eventually realize the folly and the leadership will turn to dictator methods to enforce the drive towards perceived egalitarianism. Individual freedoms are lost and frequently the national leaders have turned to murderous and confinement tactics to enforce the unworkable.

In recent years, the attitude of Saul Alinsky, the founder of the community organizer movement, has developed the envy and jealousy of the wealthy to historical heights among many well-meaning Americans. Those saints who admirably care and devote their lives to helping the poor and downtrodden are often susceptible to falling for a false narrative. A narrative that does not lift all boats as we sometimes wish, but rather increases frequently the ranks of the poor and purposely destroys the middle class. This seems to be the historical trend occurring again today.

Ergo, the dangers of attacking natural law when taking the property of the perceived wealthy (also the violation of three of the Ten Commandments) have always proved disastrous for we, the people. Additionally, there exist many scriptures and historical Jewish/Christian figures that condemn this activity of mankind.

As an individual human I feel that I will be judged in the hereafter for taking property that does not belong to me, even if playing Robin Hood. There is no moral value in forcing others to make financial sacrifices for the needy. To pay for bridge repair with a fee or a use tax is a civic duty and must be enforced if the bridge is to be utilized. Governmental institutions, unions and corporate entities are considered somewhat differently because their essence is amoral. Their behavior is hopefully regulated by laws. Taxes on corporate net income are rightly determined by evaluating the balance between income for workers and the corporate draw on governmental services. We reap what we sow, and laws encouraging giving from the heart is necessary for civilized society. But to encourage a violent atmosphere of hate between rich and poor only gives demagogues a tool to establish dictatorships through chaos. Huge governmental safety nets have been attempted on different levels for centuries and have never survived the life of the human condition.

Today, we are burdened by an antiquated and complex tax code of millions of words. Millions of wealthy and millions employed in the tax and regulation industry benefit greatly from the confusion and legalities of this querulous quagmire. A truly just action could be taken by voters in the coming elections to select those who are brave and unselfish enough to replace and simplify the system. My personal preference would be to eliminate the old entirely and establish a national federal sales tax exempting unaltered essential foods, doctor prescribed health care and medicines and residential real estate. Today we must increase the liberty of all to create wealth and cease to load our children with an insurmountable national debt that will condemn them to a world of suffering, poverty and lack of security.

From Proverbs 24, “The man who robs his father or his mother (children too?) and says, ‘it isn’t wrong!’ is a companion to a vandal!”

 

Jerold Dettle is a member of the Freeborn County Republican Party.