Conservative Ennui in an Election Year

By Dean Malik

Contrary to the oft-repeated narrative about the virtue of compromise, it seems politicians are vilified precisely because so few possess an ironclad, unshakeable commitment to principle. Congress's approval rating, regardless of which party is in control, is consistently abysmal. In this year of cross-spectrum voter discontent, there has been little enthusiasm in the Republican electorate for any of the primary candidates, each of whom has considerable past experience in government. The Founding Fathers' view of government, and its place in society was clear. George Washington wrote: "Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." This nation's early leaders understood that "the power to tax is the power to destroy" and they used that power judiciously. It was not until passage of the 16th Amendment in 1913 that personal income tax was made a permanent feature of American fiscal policy. Even then, the highest marginal rate was capped at 7%. Then in 1933, in the midst of.... (Read Full Article)