I stand in awe of Thomas Sowell. He is prolific and insightful, and the clarity and simplicity of his writing is unmatched.

This column highlights a central issue of our time – the war on achievement.

Our president’s “Yes we can” mantra is part of that war. The mantra is aimed at achievement in politics, not achievement in any other sphere. It is hard to find Obama in fulsome praise of much else. He sees forward progress as getting political power to take from the “privileged”, and give to the “deserving”. Politics decides who those classes are. Those who don’t accept his view are heartless and callous.

Mr. Obama’s recent statements that made the news about “you didn’t build that” are a clear indication of his views. He does not believe that personal effort – achievement – plays much of a role in our success. People are helpless and need him to solve their problems. The successful should be cut down to size, and given no credit for their success.

This is the sin of envy on steroids.

Thomas Jefferson hinted at this temptation in his first innaugural:

…a wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicities.
Our founders would have been appalled at this war, and I am as well.