For years America has given the world the formula for prosperity - low taxes and limited government intrusion into personal affairs. Low taxes inspire the investment that is so critical to growing our economy. Low taxes inspire innovation and creativity, which is why the US leads the world in discoveries for medical applications and pharmaceuticals. More than any other nation, the U.S. is responsible for the increase in human life span via medical breakthroughs and technology (although our national life span still sputters due to poor physical fitness choices). Our historically low corporate tax rate has given us an unemployment rate that is the envy of the free world. Our historically low personal tax rate has allowed for the largest middle class in the history of the world, a middle class that by definition results in a lifestyle considered luxurious by world standards. Other nations have finally seemed to get it. Around the globe, personal and corporate tax rates have been falling relative to their previous highs. No longer willing to accept stifled growth, high unemployment and a stifled populace, even the quasi-Socialist nation of France aims to turn things around with the election of conservative Nicolas Sarkozy and his promise to attack the "culture of dependency". And France is not alone. Corporate or personal tax rates are off their highs in most nations of Europe and South America. In short, the ideals of Socialism have by this point in time been completely discredited. Which is why it's so perplexing that candidates like Martin O'Malley, Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton seek to expand the U.S. welfare state. Contrary to all of the learings of the last half-century, these politicians are bucking the world trend by calling for higher personal and corporate taxes, and a redistribution of wealth from the middle class to the poor (something that has served neither entity well in the past). America led the world to where the rest of the world is going, and we must resist increased taxation attempts by big-government politicians who seemingly understand neither history nor basic economics. Socialism doesn't work, hasn't worked, and never will work. That's the message that we gave the world, and which we must now reiterate to ourselves.