Monday, January 17, 2005
Economic Equality Now a Civil Right?
The Left does not just want equal opportunity. They also want equality of outcomes. If people have unequal amounts of wealth, then that's a civil right's issue right there.
Since when did having wealth equaling that of another person, or group become a right? As a personal example, I'm not a brain surgeon. But I'm sure that good brain surgeons make lots more money than I do. Are my civil rights being violated because I make less than the brain surgeons?
A job is a two way street. If someone wants to pay you for whatever skill or service you offer to the best of your ability, and you agree on the wage, that's great. It doesn't mean it's the government's job to force someone to hire you.
This also reminds me of the whole censorship/free speech issue. As I understand it, freedom of speech means that the government can't lock you up for mentioning casually to friends that you hate President Bush. It does *not* mean you can mouth off to your boss without consequences. Nor does it mean that people should be forced to subsidize forums for ideas that they find repugnant. Take for example, Linda Rondstadt's Las Vegas concert of a few months ago where she was booed for calling Michael Moore a patriot. The audience was well within its rights. They paid to hear her sing, not to engage in a political rant.
As the saying goes, you insult your employer at your own peril.
Since when did having wealth equaling that of another person, or group become a right? As a personal example, I'm not a brain surgeon. But I'm sure that good brain surgeons make lots more money than I do. Are my civil rights being violated because I make less than the brain surgeons?
A job is a two way street. If someone wants to pay you for whatever skill or service you offer to the best of your ability, and you agree on the wage, that's great. It doesn't mean it's the government's job to force someone to hire you.
This also reminds me of the whole censorship/free speech issue. As I understand it, freedom of speech means that the government can't lock you up for mentioning casually to friends that you hate President Bush. It does *not* mean you can mouth off to your boss without consequences. Nor does it mean that people should be forced to subsidize forums for ideas that they find repugnant. Take for example, Linda Rondstadt's Las Vegas concert of a few months ago where she was booed for calling Michael Moore a patriot. The audience was well within its rights. They paid to hear her sing, not to engage in a political rant.
As the saying goes, you insult your employer at your own peril.
