Thursday, September 18, 2008

Patriotic Taxes   [Jonah Goldberg]

I know everyone knows this, but it's nonetheless worth pointing out that when Joe Biden says it's patriotic for wealthier Americans to pay higher taxes, he's making a hash of several basic concepts. First, taxes ain't charity. Second, patriotism ain't got nothing to do with it, since you're required as a matter of criminal law to pay what you owe. So, in one sense Biden is asking — scolding, really — Americans to enjoy paying their taxes, which is like asking health nuts to enjoy getting a colonoscopy. Regardless, equating a legal requirement with patriotism is just plain gross.

Last, what he's really saying is that it's "patriotic" to use government force to take more money from other people. There's a case to be made there, I suppose, even if I disagree with it. But it's cowardly on Biden's part not to make it.

09/18 09:37 AMShare