I have seen the light

Michael Bowers

To the Washington University Community:

I would like to apologize to all who were offended by my obvious attack on the poor that took place in my article on February 11. It was wrong of me to suggest that any talk of reducing the deficit should include possibilities to reduce spending on Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid. Despite the fact that these programs account for nearly half of all federal spending, any suggestion that they should be reduced was clearly an error in judgment.

But more so, thanks especially to Shawn Redden’s eloquent response to my article, I have accepted that a merit-based, capitalist economy is inherently unfair, and that the accompanying prosperity it brings is unjustly earned. I now appreciate Mr. Redden’s position that greedy corporations and the excessively rich should support our great welfare state. I also see the truth behind claims that capitalism is immoral and free trade is irresponsible. I realize the vast majority of economists claiming that free trade increases the overall prosperity of a country are simply misguided fools who probably don’t “read the papers.” Now, I rejoice in the knowledge that some day we might sufficiently worsen our overall standard of living to the point that everyone suffers equally.

I have not always been so enlightened, however. My former self would likely have pointed out that in fact I never mentioned President Bush in my article either to praise or condemn his policies, so any accusations of blind party loyalty seem odd, at best. I may have argued that I did not demand an immediate abandonment of Social Security or Medicare, only that they must be included in any analysis of reducing spending. But no longer, for I have now seen the light.

This transition has not been an easy one for me, as I have had to reevaluate my stances on a number of issues. I now reject the notion that anyone is entitled to actually keep what they earn; clearly, the state is entitled to take as much as it might need. Whereas before I would have asked Mr. Redden about the relevance in a discussion of deficits to discuss the rising number of millionaires, or the decreasing of their taxes, now I know that this is because the state is entitled to take any and all of their money. Before these revelations, after learning that 24% of 50% of Fortune 500 companies owed no taxes, as Mr. Redden cites from a study, I might have asked what each of those companies had earned before judging how much they should owe in corporate taxes. Now, I can simply apply the universal rule of “corporations are evil” in determining how much they should pay: namely, everything.

Before, I would have argued against any claims about the long-term health of Social Security, alleging that with a rapidly shrinking worker-to-retiree ratio the program will soon be broke, or that economists fear the program will be insolvent long before the 30 year mark proposed by Mr. Redden. But not anymore. For I now know that economists are “liars” who must be challenged, not experts with useful advice.

Now, some might question whether this new allegiance to socialistic principles is indeed true. I assure you it is. Who would rationally support a system that rewards people for their performance over a system that simply guarantees all an even share? Why would anybody choose a system that emphasizes individual responsibility and favors the innovators and hard workers? As final proof, my former self would have taken extreme umbrage to the thought of pleasing Josef Stalin and possibly have suggested that, ideologically, Mr. Redden is closer to Stalin than I would ever be. Now, though, I can confidently say that I am holding fast to a creed that would have made Stalin proud.

Sincerely,
Michael Bowers

P.S. While I have found my life much simpler since my change of heart, I fear that bouts of common sense and reason may somehow force me to revert to my capitalist-loving ways.

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