Best of Right Opinion

• Cal Thomas: A Taxing Situation
• Tony Perkins: America: Land of the Free, Home of the Grave
• Victor Davis Hanson: The Islamic State and the Limitations of Cruelty
• Ed Feulner: Warring Over the Peace Cross
• R. Emmett Tyrrell: Trump, the Yankee Doodle Dandy

For more of today’s columns, visit Right Opinion.

Opinion in Brief

Cal Thomas: “For any real tax reform to occur, the philosophy behind wealth and income must change. A rich person doesn’t deprive me of money or the opportunity to improve my financial circumstances. There is not one pot of money from which all must draw. We used to teach people how to create their own ‘pots,’ but now we teach envy, greed and entitlement, an unholy financial and ideological ‘hat trick’ that improves no one’s life. … In my grandparents’ day, one was expected to live within one’s means, work hard, save and invest wisely, avoid debt and not covet what your neighbor has (see the Tenth Commandment). This was not only good economic advice but a reflection of one’s moral character. During World War II, neighbors would never think of borrowing more than a cup of sugar or a few ration stamps for fear people would believe them irresponsible. Neighbors and religious institutions were expected to help the truly needy, not government. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) was on to something when he said: ‘We don’t need new taxes. We need new taxpayers, people that are gainfully employed, making money and paying into the tax system. And then we need a government that has the discipline to take that additional revenue and use it to pay down the debt and never grow it again.’ I would start with the second part of his proposal. If followed, the government would not only not need more of our money it might be forced by voters to give some of it back.”