The right to private property

Editor:

Father Gregorio affirms in his column (Proving for the common good, a duty of government, Jan. 14) that communism calls for the elimination of private property and is therefore wrong. Of course this is true, but this is only partially why communism is wrong. However, he then goes on to tout the glories of western Europe once again, citing that the average European pays 45 percent in taxes to fund universal, government-sponsored healthcare. Of course, European life is perfect in Father Gregorio’s quasi-medieval worldview.

Two things never seem to occur to Father Gregorio. First, that Europe is bankrupt from doing such foolish things. And second, does it ever occur to Father Gregorio that government confiscation of 45 percent of one’s income might be a violation of the right to private property? Has it ever occurred to this guy that taking the fruits of someone else’s labor arbitrarily (i.e., one’s “income”) is theft? Further, if the U.S. government is already taxing the average taxpayer at 28 percent of their income, isn’t it fair to say that the average taxpayer could pay for his own healthcare with a fraction of that 28 percent tax if the government kept its hands off our hard-earned money? Of course, Father Gregorio justifies this sort of thievery because it is directed to a perceived social goods (such as “universal healthcare”). However, Catholic moral teaching is clear: one may not do evil that good might come of it. You cannot break the commandments — any of them — because your intentions are good. And of course the “intentions” of politicians are questionable at best these days. Universal healthcare can be achieved — but not by a government scheme to steal income from hardworking people to give it to someone else. This is immoral and it won’t work!

The solution is not more stealing disguised by warm and fuzzy euphemisms — that is the European way of doing things, and it is the practical definition of socialism. It is old and outdated. Instead, the solution is to stop stealing the income of hard-working Americans and empower them to act responsibly with their money. That is the truly “liberal” way of doing government. It is the ideal of a virtuous society. It is the American way to do things. And it works. And of course, it’s a truly Catholic way of doing things.

Joe Saffioti

Glassboro