The Merits of a Meritocracy

 

   Ben Carson weighing in on America in his latest book:

 

In today’s online news:   Link

 

Like Karl Marx, Barack Obama is wedded to the concept of redistributing wealth, which when stripped of the rhetorical subterfuge means taking money from those who have earned it and giving it to those who have not earned it.  At some point the concept of merit has gotten lost in the debates over the redistribution of wealth.   Instead, the argument now hinges on the dubious concept of “fairness.”   Refuting the president’s philosophy of redistributing wealth irrespective of merit is an easy task that is supported by history, facts, logic, and common sense.  This is why the left quickly resorts to character assassination and name calling when trying to defend Obama’s illogical Marxist principle.   What else can they do?

 

In a recent article, Thomas Sowell said: “If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten you labeled a radical 60 years ago, a liberal 30 years ago, and a racist today.”   And so those of us who believe in a merit-based economy and personal responsibility find ourselves labeled “racists” irrespective of our individual races.

 

Unfortunately for President Obama and his comrades on the left, many of the so-called “racists” who oppose his Marxist policies are outspoken, articulate conservatives who also happen to be successful black Americans.   Prominent among these outspoken conservatives are Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, Allen West, and an individual who is emerging as one of the most articulate spokesmen extant for traditional American values: Dr. Ben Carson, the world-renowned neurosurgeon.

 

In his latest book, AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great, Dr. Carson—a man who had to overcome both debilitating racism and grinding poverty to become an internationally known healer—takes on some of the most cherished principles of the left.  In responding to President Obama’s wrong-headed views on the redistribution of wealth, Dr. Carson writes: “Many like-minded capitalists make enormous contributions to the well-being of our society…In the process they create jobs for other people.  In fact, small businesses create 80 percent of the private sector jobs in this country…those with a better understanding of how capitalism works felt…that it would be a huge mistake to impose higher taxes on the very people who create the majority of private sector jobs.  If you continually punish those who are economically successful through higher and higher taxes, at some point you extinguish the desire to work hard, since they will be working harder for a smaller return and their profits will increasingly go to the government.”

 

Carson continues: “The Constitution is quite clear that the government has the right to tax in order to support its programs, but there is nothing in the Constitution to support redistribution of wealth.  As a society we need to be mature enough to recognize that the wealthy in this nation provide many opportunities for those who are not rich by creating jobs and paying taxes.”  Carson goes on to explain that the top 50 percent of wage earners in America pay 97 percent of the taxes.

 

It is going to be difficult for Barack Obama’s supporters on the left to label Dr. Carson a “racist” for espousing views that run counter theirs.  Before attempting this unworthy strategy, they should read his book, particularly the chapter where he explains that one of the lessons he learned as a youngster was that no race holds a monopoly on racism.

 

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