Open Thread: Who Should Control the Nation's Wealth?

June 22nd, 2011 8:44 AM

The MacIver Institute, a Wisconsin-based free-market think tank, has released a new video exploring the essential philosophy that underlies many liberal economic policies of late:the belief that the government, not the individual has the foremost right to the nation's wealth. Check out their new video with commentary by Rep. Paul Ryan after the break, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Last year, when Congress debated extending the Bush tax cuts, Democrats described the cuts as unaffordable. As the MacIver institute explains, the flawed liberal philosophy is that the government owns the money, not the individuals who earn it, and any money the individuals are allowed to keep after paying taxes is a government expense, especially if they are rich.

As Paul Ryan argued,

Whose money is this after all? Is all the money that is made in America Washington's money? Government's money? Or is it the people's money who earned it?

What do you think of the new video?