Barack Obama’s proposed “Emergency Economic Plan” is unabashed redistributionism. He would give one-time rebates of $1000 per family paid for by a “windfall profits tax” on oil companies. A purer form of buying support with stolen money I have never seen.
Setting aside the immorality of robbing Peter to bribe Paul, the windfall profits tax has been tried before and failed. According to the Tax Foundation, the Congressional Research Service (a non-political government agency that provides analysis services to Congress) found that Carter’s windfall profits tax raised one-quarter of the projected revenue (or one-eighth, depending on how you count), and hampered domestic oil development by 3-6%, thereby increasing US dependence on foreign oil by 8-17%. Obama wants to try it again.
Internet Scofflaw 
Looking at Obama’s doctrine of taking from the rich…
Robinhood was about “taking from the rich and giving to the poor,” and has always been portrayed in a positive light. In stories about Robinhood however, “The Rich” are tax collectors who have taken everything from the poor. Who “the rich” are in…