Reply To: Atlas Shrugged and the Torah

Let’s not be talking about present situations, since then we’ll have to argue about facts. And that would be a silly discussion. (however, the idea that rich pay less taxes is retarded propaganda, and not remotely true).

So we’ll ignore specific situations, and the question is only: Is it moral or correct for poor people to vote for governments which will take from the rich and keep it for themselves? This avoids having to talk about your points 1 and 2. For the sake of discussion, I’ll concede that poor people pay more tax than rich people and rich people get more benefits than poor people do.

4. I think your point 4 is directly addressing the relevant question, but I don’t find it highly convincing. I don’t see how laundering the money through general revenues helps. If a politician runs for office proclaiming “I will tax rich people and take care of you, and I will also make roads”, that is still stealing in my book.

5 & 6. I don’t think this is the relevant question. Sure, rich people might want it. But since they are paying for it, they should be the ones to decide. You say that the majority decides–yes, that is precisely the problem, and it is not a response. When the majority decides to take stuff from the minority, that is just plain tyranny and stealing.

7. I’m not aware why it makes a difference if we give out cash or guns or cars or milk and bread. I’m not aware that stealing bread is more moral than stealing cigarettes.