Several months ago, Obama referred to what he considers the essence of America: He said, "This sense of mutual responsibility – the idea that I am my brother’s keeper; that I am my sister’s keeper – has always been a part of what makes our country special."

Obama, Gingrich, Perry -- they all hate capitalism, but they sure like the loot it gives them to be the career politicians they are. Where would career politicians be without capitalism?

Don’t kid yourselves. The liberal-statist agenda is to raise taxes on the wealthiest (who already pay the great bulk of taxes), lower taxes on the poor and middle class, and massively expand the welfare-entitlement state, especially for the middle class. The conservatives will only ask, “How are we going to pay for it?” But the real question should be: WHO is going to pay for it? Obviously, those who make the most money are the ones who are going to pay for most or all of it as both taxes and government expand over time. Yet these are the same people who provide the jobs for the great majority of the working and middle class. They are the “capital” in “capitalism.” How does hitting them up for more money help the middle class? The politicians will take the credit for the seizure of wealth and expansion of nice-sounding programs, but those upon whom the middle class and the career politicians depend for their paychecks are going to be burdened ever further. I just don’t understand how this is any kind of solution, any more than a drinking binge for an alcoholic does anything other than (briefly) alter his perceptions of reality. 

Another infuriated and not quite coherent liberal writes in to Dr. Michael Hurd the following:

Obama seeks to redistribute the wealth... upward. I understand you have reasons for your opinions. As a doctor you really do appeal to subjective emotion. Take the title of your article, "Rosie O'Donnell and the Terrorists She Loves." Does she really love terrorists? This is the kind of libel that is acceptable and without liability. I'm fine with that but such sensationalism degrades professionalism in my view. I am flexible but will never allow myself to write some things because my principles prevent it. I just received my J.D.

Businesses can make you do things. They're called private security contractors, and privatized forces will and have put down anti-capitalist and anti-western resistance. So there you go.

Dr. Hurd replies:

Redistribute wealth "upward"? What does that mean?

Under unhampered capitalism -- not crony capitalism, like we have now, but unhampered capitalism -- the standard of living rises for all. Jobs are continuously created, government intervention is nonexistent and the profit motive rules. Downturns are temporary and rare, not the norm (or even permanent) as they have now become, under intensive government regulation and redistribution. 

The following letter entitled, "Lowe's should not limit inclusiveness" recently appeared in my local paper. My reply to the letter, being sent to the paper, follows.

The following letter was sent to Robert A. Niblock, chairman, president and CEO of Lowe's Companies Inc., Wilkesboro, N.C., with a copy submitted to the Cape Gazette for publication.

We are writing to express our disappointment regarding Lowe's decision to withdraw its sponsorship of the TLC television show "All-American Muslim."