How is it heartless?

Most of the readers of this blog have been called a lot of things. We can easily shrug off the un-American charge. Both sides love throwing that one around, so it’s easier to ignore. But another charge that gets blasted this way is “cold” or “callous”, though usually they’re in tandem. We’re called that alot, and not just on health care.

Libertarians such as Jeff and myself are generally opposed to any and all wealth redistribution schemes. Welfare, social security, “universal” health care, any of them. And that’s how we get hit over and over again. But how is it we’re called heartless?

Personally, I oppose the idea of taking away money from the working poor and giving it to the lazy poor. Let those who work keep as much as possible. Yes, I advocate everyone keeping as much as possible of their income, because what’s right is what’s right. It doesn’t matter what their income is.

Letting people keep more of their money is one of the best stimulus plans available. People will spend money in the natural course of their lives, and it will build up demand for products naturally. It’s not an artificial stimulus like sending out thousands of dollars to each taxpayer. While that might increase demand temporarily, it doesn’t do anything long term. More money in my wallet every single time? That’s a whole different ball game.

Then, when it comes to health care, we’re called heartless because we don’t want more of our money being taken from us to pay for something that the government has no business getting involved in. But we are heartless? Why? Because we don’t favor taking money from ordinary Americans? Heaven forbid that we enact policies that would allow those Americans without health insurance to be able to actually afford it on their own…without sticking the taxpayers with the bill.

I’ve been called a heartless corporatist because I favor free markets. How is it heartless to favor opening up competition to drive prices down in any and every market? Trust me, the corporations often don’t want that competition. Wal-Mart came out in favor of the employer mandate regarding health care reform. Why? Because much of their competition can’t afford it. It’s called rent-seeking behavior, and it’s disgusting. But I’m a corporatist for opposing that? Talk about living in a hole.

I’m far from heartless. Anyone who’s known me for long knows how much of my time in my life has been spent volunteering. I have given of myself for most of my life. Why? Because I believe it is my responsibility to help my fellow man. But I do not, and can not, support the government requiring us to be our brother’s keeper. I believe that it’s a decision that every person must make.

Americans are the most generous people on Earth. We give more than anyone else, and we do it willingly. We do all kinds of things in the name of helping others, from giving money outright to men walking in women’s shoes to draw attention to violence against women. We have always given freely. So why are we being forced to give?

We’re not heartless. We simply want to be free to give, rather than being robbed at the point of a gun.