I would like to address the editorial cartoon published on the Opinion page in Wednesday’s issue of The Daily Texan. The cartoon depicts a man, presumably a Republican, saying, “I’m sick of the government taking so much in taxes. That’s my money and they’re wasting it. I should be able to use it as I see fit and to invest it wisely!” In the next scene, the same man tells a store clerk “Gimme $300 in Mega Millions tickets!!” Clearly the cartoon is mocking those of us who advocate lower taxes. However, the cartoon perfectly illustrates our point. What people in favor of lower taxes promote is individual liberty and personal responsibility. Frankly, I don’t care how other people choose to spend their money. That’s their choice. So if the man in this cartoon chooses to buy $300 in lottery tickets, who has to deal with the consequences? He does. Lower taxes allow people to choose what they think is best for them. The cartoon’s artist obviously supports the paternalistic notion that politicians and unelected bureaucrats who work thousands of miles away in Washington, D.C., are more capable of judging how to best spend our money. Our $15.5-trillion national debt might be evidence to the contrary, but that is your decision to make. Ultimately, this debate boils down to two options. One option allows citizens to keep as much of their money as possible while still funding the constitutional duties of the federal government and allows individuals to decide how they would like to spend the money they earned. The other is a government that confiscates as much money as possible from its citizens to prevent them from making decisions the government doesn’t approve of because “the government knows best.” The bottom line: The less you are taxed, the more liberty you have.

Jordan Nichols
Government junior
Treasurer, College Republicans