What Does the Wealthy Gap Prove?

     "Republicans can no longer pretend to be the party of fiscal restraint. Government just turned in a $2 trillion deficit. The Democratic Socialists of America claims to have 120,000 members. They call for "aggressive wealth taxes" and public ownership of the largest corporations and industries. 

     Nick Eicher writes, "Democrats think the pie has been divided badly. California voters are being asked to take 5% of what billionaires own. What exactly is wrong with the gap between the wealthiest and the least wealthy? Adjusted for inflation and household growth, average wealth in the bottom half rose about 68 percent from 2019 through July this year. The rich gained more dollars, yet the ratio between average wealth at the top and average wealth in the bottom half actually narrowed.  

     "The promise of reward attracts people, Christian and non-Christian alike. Some fail, others build something that millions willingly pay to use, and succeed spectacularly. That's not a sin. 

     "Even though Steve Jobs got very rich, the rest of the world received wealth as a benefit of his risk-taking. There is no evidence the system failed. Biblically, the wealthy have responsibilities to the poor, not a mandate for the government to equalize outcomes.  

     "Where I draw the line," Eicher says, "is when motivation drives our politics and bad policy - and this socialist moment. That question survives November 3."

              Jimmy