Fairness vs. Redistribution

As I listened to the vice-presidential debate the other night, I heard these terms several times. Biden wanted fairness and did not want to call it 'redistribution,' as Palin labeled it. We had a discussion on this topic on an elist I'm on. One post declared Obama a socialist, which caused a heated response in another post indicating that Obama is NOT about socialism but democracy. Her words held within them the ghost of what Biden was trying to say, I think. Fairness. Mandated fairness. Redistribution, again mandated. It's only fair. (Like Canada??)

There is some confusion, I'd say, over these terms. I hear them spoken often, and I am afraid that our lack of knowledge has caused our consciences to fall into a state of grogginess.

I responded to the 2nd post by saying something like this: Our nation was founded upon principles of Christian liberty. One of those was voluntary union and association. Giving to the poor was a moral responsibility, something that was considered voluntary. Our founders would have considered it absurd, at best, to mandate such a thing. Mandated giving is socialism. (Look it up!)

I can hear someone who is reading this objecting by saying that people are not giving to the poor any more. In general, you might be right. Or maybe you just don't see those who give. But the answer does not lie in government mandate. The answer lies in education and virtue. People need to be taught, and they need good examples to follow. The more the government mandates, taxes, restricts and binds, the less the good people of this nation will have to volunteer to the aid of someone else. We must be reeducated in the principles of living within our means, being responsible for ourselves and our families, and the purpose of national government. To begin with.

The more self-governing a people we are, the less we will want/ask the government to do that we ought to do for ourselves.

Did I just agree with Palin? Well, yes, I think I did. But, in reality, I have agreed with the principle, not so much the person, even if I DO like her.

People, we must get back to the founding principles of this great nation!

You want to do something for the poor? Set an example. Meet a need. Teach a man to fish... And vote responsibly.