Rep. Clyburn: "We've Got To Spend Our Way Out of Recession!"

Nothing illustrates the massive gulf of understanding that exists between the Left and Right than Rep. James Clyburn's (D-SC) recent declaration that the only way to grow the economy is by going deeply into debt.

I challenge Clyburn to produce evidence of a civilization that taxed itself into prosperity.

What's happening is this -- wealthy people are being bridled by ever higher taxes, in order to maintain the government services to people who are not wealthy. But who's going to get us out of the recession? Poor people spending money? No, it's wealthier people, who create businesses, and hire new workers. They grow our economy, not the government.

Conservatives (and, increasingly, independents) instinctively realize that governments don't actually create anything. They just tax and redistribute. What the markets and the economy need right now is a break from the Obama administration. Stop meddling in the economy. Stop declaring some new initiative. Economies cannot growe unless entrepeneurs can gauge risk. No one can imagine what new initiative Barack Obama will threaten the economy with next, so entrepeneurs and business owners have adopted a 'wait-and-see' stance.

Is it even possible for the current administration to imagine that they're the problem, not the solution? What we need are market-based reforms and relief. Relieve the tax burden on every American who pays taxes. Extend the Bush tax cuts. Reduce or eliminate payroll taxes. Reduce the minimum wage. Crack down on illegal immigration. Need a 'shovel-ready' project? Build a fence or a wall along the Mexican-U.S. border. Start deporting illegal immigrants who refuse to obey our laws and result in a net drain on our national resources. That would open up those jobs for Americans and reduce costs overall.

All these efforts would be a huge departure from the Obamatons 'surgical' attempts to ignite the economy. Markets can't be micro-managed by technocrats. Their own egos can't imagine a solution that doesn't require their masterful involvement.

Let the free market work. The Obama administration, if it were wise, would institute some simple market reforms, put the government on a diet and put money back into the hands of the people who will make the economy grow -- individual Americans. Instead, Obama has been demagoguing the 'rich' in a vile class war that actually hurts the economy.

We're not going to tax our way out of this recession.