The Smug Baldy Speaks

In a recent column, conservative economics professor and syndicated columnist Walter Williams asked the question, "Are Americans Pro-Slavery?" You read that correctly, slavery. You see, Dr. Williams would like you to think that US Federal, as well as State and Local taxes amount to a condition of slavery, since American workers spend a healthy portion of their work-year just to cover taxes which go to someone else:

The average American worker toils from January 1st to the end of April, and has no legal claim to the fruits of his labor for that period. Federal, state and local governments, through the tax code, take what he produces. A small portion of the fruits of his labor is used to provide for the constitutional functions of government. Most of what’s taken, up to two-thirds, is given to some other American in the forms of farm and business subsidies, Social Security, Medicare, welfare and hundreds of other government handout programs. As in slavery, one person is being forcibly used to serve the purposes of another person.

There are a few things that are troubling and misleading about Dr. Williams’ suggestion. First, to raise the specter of slavery is no trivial thing, and it becomes even less trivial if the subject is raised by an African American. Also, to consider arguing with an African American within the context of a discussion that raises that specter can be difficult, since doing so invites charges of racism and insensitivity. Troubling as that may be to me, to ignore the wrongheadedness of Dr. Williams’ claim simply because he’s African American and he’s talking about slavery would be worse than having to deal with false accusations if my meaning is misinterpreted.

Americans have a dilemma: We are required to pay taxes, but we hate to do so. Republicans play on this dilemma quite effectively, saying, “We’re the party that will lower your taxes and those dastardly Democrats want to increase them.” To this Dr. Williams now adds, “Taxes go to other people, and that makes taxpayers slaves.” The clear implication is that Dr. Williams believes that the Democratic party will increase your taxes, and thus, is the pro-slavery party.

It’s good to be the Republican, because you get to promise to do more with less, to make us safe and secure and not ask for anything in return, to wage perpetual war and lower our tax burden, to keep America #1 while cutting the education and basic research budgets, and now, most importantly to promise a way to keep Americans from being slaves!

Democrats don’t have it so easy. We tend to know that doing more with less usually means borrowing against your future, that safety and security play second fiddle to our basic freedoms and inalienable rights, that you can’t be #1 without a well educated populace, and most importantly that every citizen has a responsibility, a patriotic duty, to contribute to the general welfare of this great nation.

For some of us, that means putting on a uniform and making others die for their beliefs. For others, that means entering public service at some level. For everyone, however, it means that we invest a portion of our hard earned income back into our nation through taxes. I was talking recently Political Science Professor and commentator Dr. Darrell Hamlin, and who made an analogy that I’ll paraphrase here:

We need to think of paying taxes in the same way we think about providing food and clothing for our children. Only criminals shirk the responsibility they have to their own children, and fail to guarantee they have shoes, or enough to eat. As parents, we have a sacred duty to them, because as difficult and inconvenient as it might seem to hold up our end of the bargain, they could very well perish or be taken from you if you don’t.

The responsibility to pay taxes is like that investment parents make in their children. It’s hard, inconvenient, and we hate doing it sometimes. But taxes aren’t a form of slavery. They’re an investment in your country, and America could very well perish or be taken from us if enough people believe otherwise.