Back when New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy was pushing for a so-called “millionaires tax” to help fund his Progressivist state budget, a NJ Guest Columnist, Rob Duffey, argued in defense of Murphy on 3/27/19, Don’t worry about the rich; N.J. needs millionaires tax. Need I elaborate? The title says it all.
In response, another guest columnist, Philip Perinelli, explained This is why I’m leaving New Jersey:
I have contemplated writing a letter to the state government of New Jersey, including the Governor, Senate President, Assembly Speaker, and all members of the legislature. The article by Rob Duffey that appeared in the March 27 Star Ledger, titled “Don’t worry about the rich; N.J. needs the millionaires tax” prompted me to write.
Much has been said about a millionaire’s tax. Some say tax them and they will leave. And they well may. Of course, as Mr. Duffey points out, they may not. The fact is that the truly rich can decide to stay or leave. They can afford to do either. Mr. Duffey also points out that the state needs the money. I am not a millionaire. And that is why, while there is much to love about living in this town and this state, my wife and I plan to leave New Jersey in the next several years.
Perinelli is heading for Pennsylvania, where taxes are lower, including on retirees. But he demonstrates something else: It’s not just “the rich” who can be victimized by Progressivism.
I posted these comments:
“New Jersey needs the revenue,” so we’ll just seize it from those who earned it, at gunpoint. If you don’t like it, you can uproot your life, and leave.
What can “justify” such an unjust “political argument” as “credible policy?” The morality of altruism, which holds that one person’s need is an automatic claim on others’ wealth. When need is the moral standard, need becomes a political license to steal.
Need is the natural state of life, including human life. Wild animals satisfy their needs by seizing whatever they need. Primitive humans did basically the same, hunting and gathering as needed. The rise of civilization gave rise to wealth production, changing the equation to require justice.
Altruism is a carryover from primitive man, manifested in “progressivist” politics. It’s not just about millionaires, unfair as a “millionaires tax” is. Gary Sudol asked in a recent letter* why he cannot opt out of the Family Leave Act, which recently quadrupled the payroll tax on workers (4/13/19). Answer; because other people need it, even if Sudol doesn’t.
There are basically two ways for people to satisfy their needs--earn it yourself or prey on others. Progressivism sides with the predator. Do not confuse altruism with generosity, charity, or compassion. There is nothing generous, charitable, or compassionate about Progressivists’ policies, which forcibly redistribute from people who earned it to people who didn’t. They are barbaric and unjust.
I sympathize with Mr. Perinelli. We can’t escape Progressivism. But we can escape the most unjust states, like NJ. We won’t have completely achieved a fully just and civil society until we make our government protect each individual’s right to what he has earned, rather than some “right” to other people’s earnings.
* [Since I cannot link to the letter because the Star-Ledger no longer publishes its letters-to-the-editor online, I post it here:
Family-leave payroll deductions are unfair--letter 4/13/19
Once again the workers of New Jersey will take another hit. This time we face a big increase in contributions to expand the family-leave program. Some people will see their payments increase fourfold. I have worked over 40 years, have never used this program and will never want to. I would like to know why I don’t have the option to opt out of this program. There are many companies that do offer family-leave programs. If someone wants this benefit, they are free to secure a job with one of these companies. This expanded program is one more step in making New Jersey a bad place for business and taxpayers. I’m looking forward to the day when I will vacate this tax-happy state and relocate to a more taxpayer-friendly state.
Gary Sudol West Orange
The new law greatly increases the payroll tax, while making it more “progressive”--hitting middle and high income workers. It also makes it illegal for a company to replace a worker who takes advantage of the 12-week leave. And proving once again that socialist programs, once enacted, and no matter how small, will inevitably grow like a cancer. This new law expands on a previous law, because the original law was “woefully underutilized.,” with only “The overall participation rate among eligible workers in 2015 [being] less than 1 percent.”
If a program is “underutilized”—meaning, few people want it—why not eliminate it? Instead, the injustice is expanded, and taxpayers like Gary Sudol are left picking up the tab against their will. Once we accepted the malignancy of forced redistribution of wealth, the cancer aggressively grows. Why? Because someone “needs” the loot. This has been termed The Tyranny of Need.
Related Reading:
QUORA *: ‘Is Ayn Rand wrong about altruism?’
Reply Responses to QUORA *: ‘Is Ayn Rand wrong about altruism?’
People Don’t Want ‘Paid Family Leave’ in NJ, So Let’s Expand It [?]
End, Don’t Expand, NJ’s Paid Family Leave Coercion
Family Leave Insurance No “Success” for Those Who Don’t Want It
“The Decline of American Liberalism”—Six Decades Later By Lance Lamberton
Excerpts from this review:
The most disappointing aspect of The Decline is that it offered no reason for why it took place other than to agree with Jefferson’s observation that “[t]he natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.”
I would argue that the Founders’ acceptance of the morality of altruism, where self-interest is regarded as immoral and self-sacrifice is the highest moral ideal, was the root cause for the decline of American liberalism. Until classical liberalism embraces rational self-interest as the highest moral ideal and can build a society upon that foundation, then further decline will become the order of the day until, indeed, the well of freedom becomes almost completely dry.
QUORA: What does Ayn Rand think about vitrues [sic] such as charity, selflessness, and friendship?
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