Kathleen Parker is far from my favorite columnist, but her Sunday column comparing Pope Francis and presidential aspirant Sen. Bernie Sanders regarding their shared message on economic fairness and equality of outcomes was well worth the effort.
She treats the men differently. She gives Pope Francis a pass because, as a religious leader, he “wants to raise consciousness about our obligation to the less fortunate,” while bashing Sanders, the politician, who “wants to restructure America’s economic institutions to ensure that money trickles down — mandatorily rather than charitably.”
“Let’s face it, most of us work hard … for a paycheck.” So Parker pointedly asks, “As the tax man chisels away at such monetary rewards, where goes the incentive to work hard?”
How persuasive — encouraging actual, real-world achievement — would a Sanders Four Year Plan be?
Addressing the Pope’s harsh words for individualism, Parker argues, “The ‘rampant individualism’ that Francis condemns is precisely what has driven American ingenuity, entrepreneurship and a level of prosperity unmatched in human history.”
Precisely.
In other words, maybe — just maybe — we did build it. Through our own sweat and toil. Individualism is decidedly not big government. And it is not public-private crony capitalism, either.
So, considering that it was America’s laissez-faire-ism that created such great wealth and prosperity, which presidential candidates are promising a return to more robust and vivacious individualism?
Not the ones promising everything. Nor the one promising the “best deal.”
The job of the next heroic leader will be to shovel whole layers of intrusive government out of our way.
Parker seems on board, boasting, “This is common sense.”
Hey, wait a second, Kathleen, that is my line. I’m Paul Jacob.
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