Is it "Fair" to Demand "Fairness?"

During President Obama's news conference on Tuesday, he once again reiterated a recurring theme of his presidency---fairness.  The president argued that Mitt Romney's career taught him to maximize profits for investors, but as president, his job is to "figure out how everybody in the country has a fair shot."

Reuters Image

Fairness?  He thinks that is his job?  According to whom?  The word "fairness" is never mentioned in Article II of the Constitution where it lays out the duties and responsibilities of the Executive Branch of Government.

(No wonder it feels a little contrived.  No wonder it feels like pandering.  It is).

But constitutional relevance or not, "fairness" is now part of our political conversation and this president is doing everything he can to make sure that it sticks.

Why?

Obama is a masterful campaigner.  He knows that the word "fairness" invokes a sense of security, good manners, kindness and brotherly love.   Obama is trying to portray himself as the "Empathizer-in-Chief."  But as I have argued before here, empathy does not grant one the ability to know how to fix problems.

He wants us to believe that taxing the wealthy will somehow level the economic playing field in America and enable everyone get a "fair shot."  He argues that taxing the wealthy will help the poor, eliminate our debt and stimulate job creation.

By Carolyn Kaster, AP

I believe that he is wrong.  I would argue that advocating fairness and promising a "fair shot" is a mirage that can never succeed in our free enterprise system.

Furthermore, it is vital to ask ourselves, is it fair for our government to demand economic fairness?

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The president wants to create the illusion that taxing the wealthy ---those making $250,000 or more---will somehow level the economic playing field.   He continues to demonize the wealthy and give false hope to the desperate that taxing the wealthy will somehow help move from them from poor to the middle class.

This is a mirage.  History has shown us that true and lasting wealth distribution cannot last if the government is responsible for that redistribution.

Obama wants us to believe that our overspending, ideological driven political leaders will know how to help those who need it most?  The same leaders who repeatedly fund astronomically expensive and broken programs such as the Post Office, Social Security, Medicare, etc.  These leaders will suddenly know how to get individuals to move from the poor to the middle class?

Image from Abeeer

When has this been successful?

President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush each lowered taxes on capital gains---meaning they lowered taxes on the wealthy.  With each decrease, our government tax revenue increased compared to the 1980s when capital gains taxes were substantially higher.

Under Clinton and Bush, the wealthy were not demonized.  They were encouraged to take their money and redistribute it into the economy through investments and new business opportunities.  This led to a stronger economy.  This led to job growth.  This led to higher tax revenue for our government.

It was effective wealth distribution that complimented free enterprise in America.

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It is vital that people understand that wealth in America is not divvied up like a pie.  Obama would like us to believe that there is just one "pie" and that the wealthy are somehow hoarding it for themselves.  He wants us to believe that the wealthy are evil, bad people who have robbed the "pie" from the poor and refuse to share it with everyone else.

This is far from the reality.

Prosperity in America is not limited to "one pie."  Prosperity in America is limitless.  There can be limitless "pies."  There is room for everyone.  It is not limited to race, education, sex, or nationality.  Wealth is attainable for all of us.

And contrary to Obama's rhetoric, the wealthy don't inhibit others from becoming wealthy.

The truth is, the wealthy help the poor.  They donate to charities.  They use their investments to fund businesses.  They loan money.  The wealthy breed the entrepreneurial spirit in America.  The truth?  The wealthy create jobs in America---much more so than the government.

Increasing taxes on the wealthy is a very risky move.  It means that there is less money available to invest in new business growth.

Instead, the government collects it and then stands in the middle to "redistribute."  But there are too many hands in the pot.  Too many lobbyists waiting for their handouts.  Too many pork projects to fund.  Too many corrupt politicians.  Too many broken and bankrupt programs to fund.

Artificially imposed economic fairness doesn't work.

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The same can be said for the artificial fairness imposed in children's sports programs across the country. Many programs have adopted the "fairness doctrine."  There are no scores.  There are no winners.  There are no losers.  Just participants.   Everyone gets a trophy.  The playing field has been leveled.

What parents and "fairness" advocates refuse to acknowledge is that a level playing field does not make weak players become strong.

Is it fair to make all players equal?  What about the players who are really good?

Derek Jeter, Lebron James, Tim Tebow, Venus and Serena Williams and Michael Phelps became exceptional because they were not limited.  Can you imagine how different it would have been if someone told them, "You are just a little too good.  Quit hogging all the talent.  Could you please give away some of your talent to the weaker players?  Or better yet, please hinder your talent so the other players don't feel bad."

This would obviously be foolish.  Leveling a playing field does not make the weak strong.  If anything it inhibits growth.  It stifles potential.  It sets limitations.

I would argue that government imposed "economic fairness" is just as foolish.

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It is becoming increasingly clear that our president does not understand how free enterprise works.  He thinks government programs can and should offer all the solutions.  While government programs do serve a valuable purpose in the aid of the poor, government programs don't offer the only solutions.

Obama continues to argue the need for tax increases to solve America's tax and revenue problems.  But as any conservative would respond, "We don't have a revenue problem in America, our politicians have a spending problem."

Mitt Romney is going to continue to show America that Obama's policies are hindering economic growth and that artificially imposed "economic fairness" will stifle growth and limit prosperity for everyone.

Charles Dharapak/AP Photo

This president has been seeking "fairness" from the day he took office, but his quest has proven to be a distraction from his ability to find real and lasting solutions to our economic problems.  Seeking "fairness" has seen the longest period of unemployment over 8% since the Great Depression.  Seeking "fairness" has not sped up the slowest and most anemic economic recovery since WW II.  Seeking "fairness" has encouraged our government to accumulate an astronomical $5 trillion in debt.

Seeking fairness has been a distraction.

Fortunately for us, Mitt Romney is not easily distracted.  He will be laser focused on achieving real solutions for real economic growth.  He understands that a strong and thriving economy is the best way to distribute wealth.

His career shows that financial stability is attainable---his resume shows that he can make it a reality.

Go Mitt.