The Content of the Character of Your Economic Beliefs

Bill Frezza questions your faith in Real Clear Markets through a true/false test with essay questions.

Examples:

Would you ever use the ballot box to force others to practice your religion or make them pay to build you a church? Why do you find it easy to do this with your economic beliefs, compelling others to foot the bill for the public policies you promote?

Do you admire highly paid sports figures yet disdain highly compensated business executives? Why? Does it matter whether the shareholders in the companies that employ these executives feel they are getting their money's worth? And if you're not a shareholder, what makes this issue your concern?

Does every poor person have a moral claim on every rich person regardless of how they got rich or poor?

Is making all people equally poor an acceptable solution to inequality?

Would you steal money from your own children? Would you steal money from other people's children? What makes it socially acceptable to let Congress do this for you?

Do you contribute to charity? Would you gang up with your neighbors and force others to contribute to your charities? What makes it OK to hire Congress to do this for you?

Do your ends always justify your means?

Are you happy to see the state to which we've fallen - pressure group pitted against pressure group, old against young, citizen against citizen all fighting to grab a share of the swelling portion of our national income funneled through the hands of Congress? What other outcome would you expect when moral foundations crumble?

There are 56 questions in the body of the text. Please take your time and answer them carefully. But hurry, the 2010 elections will be here soon.

(H.T. The Discerning Texan.)