Barack Obama had a conversation the other day with a plumber named Joe. Joe’s dream of owning a plumbing company is threatened by Obama’s tax plan. Joe is asking for nothing but the opportunity to work toward that dream. He accepts that success is not guaranteed, that risks await him, that failure is a possibility. So why would Obama impose higher taxes that further punish Joe’s initiative? Obama’s response was that spreading the wealth around is good for everybody. Joe said that sounded like socialism.

Americans used to believe that you don’t get something for nothing. Now we think of benefits, like healthcare, as entitlements. When Obama said he just wants those behind Joe to have the same chance at success, it‘s because he believes redistribution of income is a sign of success. Obama bets the poor will not understand that ultimately they will pay for the wealth redirected their way.

When 38% of households that don’t pay taxes receive a refund under his tax plan, it amounts to welfare. The 62% of us that do pay will have to work harder. Business investment and expansion will be stifled by higher corporate taxes, capital will be withheld from the economy, and jobs will be lost. The tax increases will be passed on to consumers through higher prices for goods and services. Everyone will lose.

Obama’s ultimate experiment in socialist redistribution of wealth is his Global Poverty Act. This act surrenders our sovereignty to the United Nations, who will oversee it. It will force the United States to contribute 0.7 % of its GDP through a global tax to help eliminate world poverty. Estimated to cost $65 billion per year, the act will force us to work for the benefit of other countries.

It’s amazing that those who criticize our country as being the world’s policeman are not the least bit concerned that we become the world’s caretaker. This is the epitome of socialism. Thanks to Joe the Plumber for sounding the alarm!