Posted by
Libertybob on Sunday, January 28, 2007 11:07:26 AM
This was a comment I posted on Voice of Reason's website. I don't have much basis for posting it here except that since I believe it to be an extension of my previous post "the Lure of Liberalism", I want to increase its exposure.
See the original post that inspired it: http://voice.townhall.com/ "why some good, religious people are liberals."
Onwards:
I
believe liberalism to be dangerous because it doesn't just use
intentions as the basis to judge what is moral, it does so at the
denial of reality and the falsehood of thinking your social vision is
greater than another. This was encapsulated in your insight that "if
Religion is good, a system that is based on altruism must also be good.
How can Religious people remain consistent and object to a selfless
economic system?"
This is the foundation of liberal thought, and
because they are based in good intentions of caring for the poor,
unprivileged, etc, it means if one opposes their policies then one is
morally lacking in some regard.
I have a question I like to
ask liberals that hits at the core of their vision of inequality in the
world. Usually they tend to be favoring some new social program (like
universal healthcare.) I simply propose that since cutting taxes will
increase government revenue, we should cut taxes in order to fund the
program. The idea of helping others at the expense of their socialist
ideas always causes a moral dilemma. I either than get to sit as they
try the verbal gymnastics to justify why that can't be done, or I get
to teach them the Laffer Curve and a little reality.
What
surprises me most when I do this is that they often when confronted
with allocation of resources is that rather than incorporating it into
their argument, they try to dismiss it. It is as if reality is beneath
consideration.
It surely is easier to believe that we live in
a world where "problems" and "crises" can simply be "solved," if only
we have the moral fortitude to do so. It is much harder to understand
the intricate reality behind such. In fact, nobody could hope to
understand the all the implications that liberal "solutions" entail on
every individual, which is why the remedy to liberal thought is a
correct understanding of freedom and a desire to maintain it.
Yet,
as you pointed out in your reference to the type of slavery we live in
today, to implement the liberal solution is to force others to be as
"moral" as they are through coercion. "When a politician calls for
higher taxes to fund one of those 'feel-good' programs, s/he is
promoting a coercive confiscation of our money. Since money is obtained
from work, such coercive taxation is synonymous with enslavement." If
the fruits of labor go to another, such as the government, then it is
slavery of different degree, not kind.
That the results of
liberal policies cause more harm than good is not acceptable to those
who believe that a system that is based on altruism must also be good.
In fact, it tends to reinforce it. New "problems" are now present,
which must also be "solved." It is rarely noted that those problems
were created from previous solutions.
But I also believe this is
the greatest ally in the war of ideas. Since there are well intentioned
people who support leftist policies because they believe them to be
moral, if they can learn enough to see through the facade, they may
flee the party line. Then it simply is a matter of teaching them how to
truly be altruistic. Thus conservatives have two major obstacles to
overcome. Revealing the errors of the other side and correcting mis
perceptions of conservative principles.
"Incidentally, this is
not a argument against charity - which is a VOLUNTARY form of altruism"
Indeed, it is an argument FOR charity. I believe the most moral system,
and the one that has its basis in the teachings of Jesus, is that
people should choose to be charitable. If they are coerced, it is not
counted unto them for righteousness as they did not do it of their own
free will. If they voluntarily part with their wealth to help those
around them, the world will become a better place. The only way to have
people with the capacity to do that is to allow each individual the
right to expand their own wealth as much as they can, as long it is not
at the expense of others. Criminals, no. People working to provide
others with products and services the people desire in their own quests
to better their lives, yes. This is the parable of the talents.
The Parables of The Talents and The Good Samaritan. Good ammo for conversations with the good, religious liberals.