Harry Neuwirth

Harry Neuwirth writes from Salem, Oregon.

In the 225 years since the Treaty of Paris formalized American Independence, living conditions in the U.S. and those parts of the world that have imitated our success have improved dramatically in material wealth, life expectancy, liberty of expression, freedom from fear, general health, joie de vivre, and every other measure of the human condition that is worth measuring. A cursory reading of history will confirm that assessment beyond any doubt.

Yet we are confronted by the emotionalist party's lament that not everyone is as rich as someone; that, while the poor are living at levels of comfort beyond the expectations of kings and emperors of pre-American days, the entrepreneurialism that has raised us -- in spite of ourselves -- to this level of relative opulence, is evil and to be suppressed by our friend, the government.

But we just came from there 225 years ago, we would be fools to go back by choice. Yet we seem tempted to elect to high office the politicians who intend to impose punitive taxes upon the 21st century successors to the heroes who brought us here. *

"Wish not so much to live long as to live well." --Benjamin Franklin