In his recent letter to the editor, “Renew ‘Millionarie’s Tax,’ Save Aid to Public Schools” (Sentinel, May 6), William Flynn, chairman of the Old Bridge Democratic Party, espouses a method of taxation, the so-called “millionaire’s tax,” that recalls the expression popularized by Karl Marx, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”
Flynn further states that Gov. Chris Christie’s policies have “punished the hardworking and rewarded the rich,” as if no one got rich from hard work. Coming from a Democrat, this is unsurprising. And although I am not currently financially impacted by this tax (nor am I likely to be impacted in the future, unfortunately), I feel compelled to respond.
Flynn calls for reinstatement of the millionaire’s tax but asks, “Is someone making $250,000 a year really going to be deprived of something because he pays a few extra dollars …?” This highlights a significant fact of life: When politicians establish a new way for them to get their hands on someone’s money, they tweak and twist the law until they get more. So a tax designed to “punish” millionaires is now used against those making $250,000. Anyone want to bet that the elastic yardstick Flynn and the Democrats use to define “rich” isn’t eventually going to be applied to those making less than $250,000? Where does it end?
Flynn claims, “Good schools and educated children equal less crime and less reliance on social programs.” But the definition of “good schools and educated children” is also in the eye of the beholder. And how does taking more money from those who earn it translate to “good schools and educated children”? India is a relatively poor country compared to the United States, but the people I’ve met from India not only are better educated than we (owing to their belief that education is a privilege not a right), they also have a sense of morality and ethics that we used to have but are sadly lacking today.
Flynn claims, “An educated citizenry means fewer social problems down the road.” If Flynn is arguing that we’re more educated today than we were 50 years ago, OK. But do we really have fewer “social problems”?
Lastly, Flynn urges Gov. Christie to “Do what’s right.” In other words, be a Democrat and go back to the same methods that got us into this mess in the first place.
No, Mr. Flynn. I suggest that it’s time for you to either get on board with the majority who genuinely want to fix what decades of rule by Democrats and RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) have broken, or be quiet and get out of our way. Going backwards is not an option for success.
Benjamin Feigenbaum
East Brunswick