Collective Thinking

by
W. Darnall & S.Darnall

I don't know if the proper term is Communist, Socialist, Statist, or Marxist, but I do know that I do not care for the kind of collective mindset of Obama and his ilk. Karl Marx used the slogan, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need (or needs)." Which is a fancy way of stating redistribution of wealth. This has seemingly been Obama's agenda since he took office.

Obama likes the phrase "fair share", as in rich folks doing their "fair share" or wealthy people paying their "fair share". Isn't this just another way of saying redistribution of wealth . . . hmmm . . . kind of like the Karl Marx idea?

It all comes down to the idea of the collective good that is so cherished by those who do not value the individual or the rights of the individual. Whether too far to the left or too far to the right, when government or state becomes more important than each person, it is wrong. I happen to believe in the rights and worth of individuals. I believe in their freedom to choose.

While it is true that society supports and assists individuals, the fundamental difference is how we view society. Obama and the Left all too often identify society as the government. On the Right we are more inclined to consider society as family, church, community, organizations, etc.

People like Obama think that citizens, who they mostly view as taxpayers or cash-cows, are here to serve the government. They believe they allow us to thrive and we would fail without them. We need to remind government that we are not a tax-paying tap for them to turn on and off as they need funding. That it is, "Government . . . for the people", not the other way around.

The government is not a revenue generator. It is only able to provide infrastructure, support, and protection because we the citizens fund it through our paying of taxes. So for Obama and the Left to nay-say individual worth as being less than government is vastly misplaced crediting of what occurs in business success. Without citizens paying taxes there is NO government! So, even government support comes about thanks to the citizens, not the other way around.

I was highly insulted when I heard President Obama's speech suggesting business owners' success comes from the government. His phrase, "if you've got a business, you didn't build that" is insulting to anyone that ever stepped out on that lonely path to start a business, whether in a big way or a small way. I know because I've built little businesses over the years . . . without government assistance.

Yes, business owners (in most cases) got educated, used roads, have electricity, running water, the internet, etc. Perhaps they make use of innovations that came out of the space program, military advances, or other programs attached to government. But in almost all cases these inventions, advances or building projects were accomplished by employees of private sector corporations or companies who were under contract to the government. People employed by the private sector create. Government then makes use of what comes about.

Even more importantly, anything developed under the auspices of a government program is ultimately being paid for by we the taxpayers. We the people already own all that infrastructure and other public works that Obama says the government "gave us". The government "gives us" nothing. We pay for it all through our local, state, and federal taxes. It is ours. I guess in a way you could say, "Government didn't build it, we did."

© Walter W. Darnall, Jr. & Suzann C. Darnall, JULY 2012