Barack Obama has accidentally let slip his socialist viewpoint of economics. When speaking to a plumber who was concerned about being punished through higher taxes for having a successful business, he said he wants to "spread the wealth around" to those with lesser incomes. He might as well have just come out and said that his economic plan is nothing more than pure redistribution of wealth, which is commonly associated with another form of government called "communism."

The audacity of Obama is apparent. He obviously does not see the wealth of a successful person or business as something that has been earned; conversely, he obviously does not believe that someone who is poor may be so not because of outside social forces, but because of their own laziness or unwillingness to work for a better life or more income.

I understand that many people may be poor because of outside social pressure or a lack of opportunity. But as someone who has grown up poor, and has lived in many poor neighborhoods, I have seen an abundance of poor people who just aren't willing to take the steps to move themselves out of that position. I'm not blaming all poor prople for being poor, mind you - I just don't like it when successful people are blamed for being not poor.

There is this myth that all low-income people are victims of an evil system that keeps them trapped in their income level. Therefore, we must increase the minimum wage, we must raise taxes on the haves to give to the have-nots, and we must give tax returns to those who pay no taxes. But I've worked a minimum wage job many times in my life, starting when the minimum wage was only $3.35 per hour, and within six months I was always given a raise. Within a year, my income level at the same company or store was further raised beyond minimum wage because of hard work, responsibility and punctuality, and I was also able to earn promotions and bonuses. These were not given to me - I earned them.

On the other hand, those that were stuck at their minimum wage positions remained there because they were lazy or worked just hard enough not to get fired. Then they complained that life is unfair as they tried to coast through it doing as little work as possible. Are these the people that Barrack Obama is going to spread some of the wealth to?

Don't get me wrong, there are many hard-working low income people in America, and they would like an opportunity to be able to earn more money. But I bet if you ask them, they want to earn it, not have it given to them. They should pay low taxes, but they shouldn't be given a hand-out from those who earn more. The conservative plan supported by McCain is a pro-growth plan, one that will keep taxes low for everybody, including both those who want to work to earn more income and raise themselves to a middle or high-income position, and those who are business owners and entrepreneurs who make more money and can provide the jobs and opportunity to those people who want to work. The Obama plan is an income redistribution plan that wants to punish success and take money directly from those who are successful and give it to those who are not. No matter how you look at it, Obama has a Robin Hood agenda that directly contrary to the American spirit of self-determination and self-reliance.