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[Jim Cook <james_cook AT mindspring.com>]

Phillip Rhodes wrote:
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> Tanner Lovelace wrote:
>   
> > On 7/14/07, Phillip Rhodes <mindcrime AT cpphacker.co.uk> wrote:
> >     
> > > Most of the people in local government that I've known have roughly
> > > the technical sophistication of a head of cabbage, and wouldn't know
> > > a wireless network from a bowling ball.
> > >       
> > And that differs from the people in the state and federal government
> > how, pray tell?
> >     
>
> Not at all, as far as I can tell.  But I can't speak from
> experience about the folks at those levels as much as I can
> the local level.
>   
> > What?!? Stop the presses!  Phillip advocates more government
> > at a higher level!  Who are you, and what have you do with
> > our libertarian friend? :-)
> >     
>
> To the extent that I believe in any government beyond
> self-government, I see the only valid purpose of any
> level of government as protecting the rights of
> individuals.  
This is the part that gets me.  I see this whole thing as government 
acting to protect the rights of BUSINESSES rather than individuals.  To 
the extent that "we the people" is true, then local governments are "the 
individuals" whose rights should be protected.  Yea, the local 
government can screw it up, but then so can businesses.

...snip...

> > please don't come
> > back with the arguments that taxes are immoral.
> >     
>
> I should be clear, I think *involuntary* taxation is immoral, because
> of the implied initiation of force (eg, you don't pay your taxes, you go
> to jail) and because it denies my fundamental right to own my own
> property and keep the fruits of my labor.
>
> In the context of a voluntary, non-profit communal system, like
> the ones I've spoken of before, you could consider the money paid
> into the system to be a "voluntary tax."  I have no problem with
> that whatsoever.
>   
But can't all taxes in America be viewed as *voluntary*?  (Granted, 
some, like the NC EDUCATION Lottery are more so than others...)  People 
have the freedom to live here, there, in the country or not.  Isn't 
abiding by the rules part of the voluntary price you pay to live here?