julie.blank14 posted a question, "Do you think that the idea of “stealing from the rich to give to the poor” is an appropriate or inappropriate way of governance?"
While many people like the idea of a "robin hood" figure, the idea of putting it in practice as a government practice raises too many issues for it to work. I agree that many people have way more wealth than they would ever need, and much of that wealth could be better spent on helping people who are suffering such as donating to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and other non-profit charities. however, if the government has the power to steal one's gains in order to help others, then a lot of questions would arise such as who is considered rich or poor? how much money should be taken? Do people move in and out of the rich/poor system if their status of wealth changes?
Those questions would be the easiest to fix, the more complicated issues would be what to do about people who live in the poverty line, but don't seek to improve themselves. This is already a case with unemployment where some people will live off of unemployment checks instead of getting a job. Another problem would be incentives. If this system of taking from the rich and giving to the poor becomes large enough, then many people won't even want to become wealthy since all of their wealth will be taken from them. Why work so hard to make a good income if you can not work at all and make a decent income.
This practice of steeling from the rich and giving to the poor is something that may already be in motion. think of tax brackets, many wealthy people will pay double or triple the percentage of taxes each year compared to the poor. Many government programs such as food stamps and unemployment will provide money to those less fortunate, which is a way of giving to the poor. Even with these small ways of taking from the rich and giving to the poor, we see a shortage of workers and a decrease in small business growth.
I do not think that programs such as food stamps and unemployment checks should be done away with. many programs such as these help put people back on their feet when they go through struggles such as losing a job or being evicted. however, allowing these programs to expand could turn them from a helping hand into life support, and the money for these programs would come from those who are not in those programs, aka the rich. I am not opposed to helping others, but I don't want my taxes to be supporting someone who is choosing to not contribute to society.