Christian Libertarianism

This nation’s legislative branch has a tendency to infringe
upon our rights to liberty. According to an article by Deirdre McCloskey, “A
big or small entrepreneur, encouraged by dignity and enabled by liberty,
alertly notices an opportunity and takes it. (p. 6)” This is the mechanism by
which we prosper.
The dignity of the entrepreneur is being threatened.
Consider Occupy Wall Street. Among many vague and untenable claims, those who
‘occupy’ are protesting economic inequality. Rather than viewing entrepreneurs
as courageous and hopeful, the 99% is stripping those who successfully embark
on entrepreneurial endeavors of their dignity. The demands of those who occupy
include creating a maximum wage rate to limit inequality and an income tax
system which strips the wealthiest of their earnings.
Rich Lowry wrote an article claiming that even the president
is denying the successful entrepreneur his or her dignity. “Income inequality,
[Obama] he said, ‘gives lie to the promise that’s at the very heart of America.”
However, why would the fact that one person’s income is greater than the income
of another prevent the lower earning individual from earning more? The comments
on Lowry’s articles belie a common theme among the citizens of this country who
are bringing back the ‘evil capitalist’ mentality.
Not only is the dignity of the entrepreneur under attack,
but the liberty of the citizens of this country is being slowly eroded.
Recently, the Senate approved a $662 billion bill which removes the right to
trial for US citizens deemed a terror threat. We are slowly but surely losing
our liberty. The government to whom we granted to right to use force and
coercion is running with it.
Some people think that socialism can be advocated for on the
basis that it’s more commensurable with Christianity than is capitalism.
However, in an article by Steven Gill which provides an analysis of C. S. Lewis’s
political views, he argues that liberty is a fundamentally Christian
ideal. “In short, Lewis suspected that
populist demands for unchecked political freedom and absolute equality
originate from human pride and jealousy.”
Consider OWS: Are they just jealous of those who make more
money? Do they believe that they are entitled to whatever the wealthiest have
regardless of their worth ethic or natural abilities?
Consider the recent legislation passed: Does our rampant
fear of terrorism actually belie a belief in the superiority of the United
States?