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Class and Income Disparity

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It is a common refrain for Leftists in our country to rail against the rich. They are very well versed in the narrative that says they are advocates for, and their policies are advantageous to, the poor and less fortunate. We hear about taxing the rich. We hear much of the phrases “income disparity” and “wage gap”. Not to mention that “the rich get richer” while the “poor get poorer”.

Most voters in the country are not rich, so demagoguing them is usually a politically winning issue for Leftist politicians and their allies in the press. We Constitutional Conservatives need to do a better job educating why our free market, and Constitutionally limited, government policies will be the best thing for the poor and less fortunate. We Constitutional Conservatives of course care about the poor in the country, and believe that our vision and policy proposals will be the best for them. To even have to state that is offensive as it is so clearly obvious. However, the Leftist narrative stating that it is not true has been so successful, that we are forced to say this in order to set the record straight. Not only do we believe that it will be the best for the poor and less fortunate, but also for the middle class, and even the rich. Rather than breaking people up into groups based on economic class, and pitting the interests of those groups against each other, we believe in a unified approach that attempts to help everyone. Rising tides lifting all boats, and larger pies providing all enough to eat are good analogies to describe the vision and policies of us Constitutional Conservatives. We are happy when “the rich get richer”. We also expect the middle and lower classes to get richer as well.

So, as we propose policies we don’t come from the position of making sure the end result for everyone will be equal. We believe that the opportunities given to all should be equal. And the end result of a person’s economic status will be a function of the level of skill and effort that individual puts into the equation. We believe the Federal Government is in place to prevent any entity outside of that individual from abridging their right to life, liberty, and pursuing happiness. We do not believe that the Federal Government is to provide that happiness – (even partially) – for the individual. They are personally responsible for themselves and the outcome of their lives. We just want a national government that will not allow a foreign power, or a state or local government, or any other entity or individual to create circumstances that prevent an individual from pursuing, as they see fit, their God-given rights.

We do recognize that there are individuals amongst us that simply do not possess the ability to pursue their happiness. Mental or physical handicaps may be preventing this, which are enemies that even with the enormous power of the Federal Government we cannot defeat as of yet. Family circumstances, accidents, and many other reasons can also cause or contribute to an individual being unable to care for themselves as our principle of personal responsibility would require. Our Conservative philosophy includes every care and wish for the health, safety, and happiness of these individuals. However, we do not believe the Federal Government is a good deliverer of the help our fellow citizens suffering from these types of disadvantages need. Our belief is that the closer to the individual that the help can be administered the better for both that individual, and society at large. The person needing the help will get it faster. They will get help that is targeted more specifically to what they need. They will receive the help with fewer irrelevant strings and requirements attached. And they will receive the help over a sustained period that better matches their need. So, all around the individual in need of help is best cared for from a source more local to themselves than Washington, D.C. Additionally, the more local the source of help the less waste, graft, and corruption our society will suffer from as those nefarious activities are more difficult to hide under the increased scrutiny of local delivery systems. The bottom line is we strongly believe in caring for and helping our brothers and sisters in need, but also believe that the Federal Government is rarely a good method for delivering the needed help.

The next logical question is to ask what these more local delivery systems are. I believe that a person’s family and friends are the best and most local that can be found. We Conservatives want to promote a society that builds strong family relationships and lasting friendships. Such a society will not allow its fellow citizens to fall through the cracks. However, reality causes us to recognize that even this will not solve all cases where help is needed. Thus church congregations, community organizations, and private charities will comprise the next best level of help for our fellow citizens who need it. Even this it can be imagined won’t actually cover every single one of the hundreds of millions of citizens in the United States. So, as a last line of defense we suggest that city, county, and state governments provide the necessary help for those that have not found it available from any other means. Charity work it must be recognized does not come with an inherent or tangible reward for those who give help. And we recognize that humans in their fallen state on this Earth are not all willing to give such help as they should. Thus some circles of family and friends do not function properly. Also, many churches, charities, and similar organizations are filled with the same flawed human beings and often do no fulfill the stated aims and objectives those organizations claim to be founded for. But we do not believe that America is populated with a large percentage of such thoughtless and careless human beings that they will not assist the sick, dying, and needy in their midst. We can look to every instance of natural disaster and see the generosity, caring, and love Americans show each other in those times of need. We believe this exemplifies the character of most Americans, and are confident that when given the responsibility to care for their fellow citizens our fellow Americans will step up and do the job. And they will do the job far more quickly, efficiently, and accurately than will the Federal Government.

History can show us that Conservative policy when introduced and put into practice does more to assist every citizen in the creation of wealth, and the pursuit of happiness than does collectivist Leftist policy. Lower taxes that put more money into the private economy will provide more resources for the family/friends, church/charity, and local/state governments to provide help to the citizens living around them that is needed. Less Federal Government spending that allows for lower taxes, will also spur a private economy that will fulfill many of the functions we now mistakenly look to Washington, D.C. to perform. Thus, a more active private economy will provide more productive work for everyone to perform. More jobs as businesses expand. Even more will be created by new businesses being started, and each individual better able to pursue the implementation of the ideas they have. Our Creator has endowed each of us with creativity and potential that is just waiting to be unleashed, and each of us pursuing our God-given life purpose with the talents given us will be the best way to have a dynamic economy and society that helps the greatest number of people possible in this imperfect world.

Trying to have the Federal Government interfere in private business transactions that do not involve a dispute does more harm than good. Two fully capable and equally situated adults – (from a legal point of view) – should be allowed to enter into agreement upon activity without Federal involvement as much as is possible. Thus, having Washington, D.C. tell anyone what they must pay anyone else is anathema to our Founding Principles, as well as to reason and common sense. The Federal Government should not be setting minimum or maximum prices on goods or services.

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