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Saturday, March 20, 2004
I haven't had time to fully peruse the Iraqi constitution, but article 14 stands out to me:
The individual has the right to security, education, health care, and social security. The Iraqi State and its governmental units, including the federal government, the regions, governorates, municipalities, and local administrations, within the limits of their resources and with due regard to other vital needs, shall strive to provide prosperity and employment opportunities to the people.
Is this what government should provide to its constituents? Is it really? I know thousands of people would like to think so, but how does a government monolith accomplish this? By taxing the top earners, and funding the programs for the bottom earners, that's how. Am I the only one who has a problem with removing the incentive for work? (Why should anyone work who has everything provided to them by the government? Conversely, why should anyone try to maximize their earnings when high marginal rates are implemented?) Look no further than the social programs in Europe to see their cost of implementation.
I'm a fundamental proponent of states' rights. I believe that a weak federal government which serves only the common interests of the states (READ: national defense, and the preservation of the Bill of Rights) is what was intended by the founding fathers. That being said, if states want to implement higher taxes, a plethora of entitlement programs, and myriad social guarantees, that should be the right of their citizenry. It should also be the right of other states to choose the opposite path. I would like to see a return to this governmental philosophy in the U.S. Because of the ethnic diversity in Iraq, I believe such an implementation would serve them well also.Labels: Archives_2004
.: posted by
Dave
5:59 PM
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