Rich Liberals

John Kerry and his wife, Teresa, are worth an estimated $500 million. Along with a $35 million private Gulfstream V jet and an $800,000 boat, they own five homes in the U.S. (Source: MSNBC.com)

Just what we need: more guilty liberals. Much is made about multi-millionaires (e.g. G. W. Bush or Dick Cheney) who want to cut taxes "for the rich." Leaving aside the fact that the rich are people too, "the rich" in this political context usually refer to households making more than $200,000 per year. Compared to wealth totaling $500 million, this is hardly rich. [Bear in mind that any increase in income taxes will not touch Kerry' $500 million--but rather will tax those who are just starting to earn their wealth.]

Liberals like John Kerry are distinguished from conservatives like George W. Bush on just one point economically: they want to raise taxes on those who are earning money rather than cut them.

Which is better, morally? To cut taxes on people who make the same or less than you? (This is what Bush has done.) Or to raise taxes on people who make less than you? (This is what Kerry and the liberals will do.)

We're used to hearing about the rich politicians who made their money in the private sector and now want to cut taxes--and how awful this supposedly is. I hope we start hearing the liberal version too: people who have so much money they don't know what to do with it--and, because of their feelings about this, resolve to raise taxes and impose more government controls on everybody.

Please, rich liberals: stay away from public office. I'm not as rich as you. I can't afford having you in power!

If you truly want to help us, give us back more of the money that we earned in the first place. Most of us are not married to rich ketchup heiresses like Teresa Heinz-Kerry. If forced to pay more in taxes, we will notice it. You never will.

Dr. Michael Hurd is a psychotherapist, life coach and author of Effective Therapy (New York: Dunhill, 1997) and Grow Up America! Visit his website at: www.DrHurd.com.