Liberals make excuses for taking people's money through force by downplaying the role of force. Another Townhall protester exposes that deceit by challenging her representative to take her money in broad daylight instead of the dark of night.
Liberals try to make the moral case for government welfare by claiming that majority rule makes something moral. Why would it have been wrong for the politician to take her money by force but moral for him to vote to make the IRS threaten to throw her in jail if she didn't give it up? As Alexis de Tocqueville wrote, "I have always thought that servitude of the regular, quiet, and gentle kind which I have just described might be combined more easily than is commonly believed with some of the outward forms of freedom, and that it might even establish itself under the wing of the sovereignty of the people."
His point is that claiming that some law is the result of "the sovereignty of the people" does not make it moral. This country was not founded on the principle that legislative acts are moral by their nature, but rather that "government derives its just powers by the consent of the governed." The only way that people can consent to being governed is if they have a choice. A truly liberty-inspired individual wants all people to have a choice as to what kind of government they prefer.
While perfect choices are rarely offered, the market place does not offer goods perfectly tailor-made to exact, individual specifications. It instead creates progressively superior products due to the competitive nature of free choice. This principle works for government too. Subjecting government to the limiting power of free competition can make it work for people instead of subjecting people to its whims.
The accelerated centralization of government after the ratification of the 17th Amendment is evidence that such a drastic change in the Constitutional structure severely damaged the system which protected people from the tyranny of centralized government. While it's odd that those who fear monopolies of business believe there is security in the monopoly of the most dangerous bureaucracy in the world, their ability to see government as a cuddly big brother poses a danger to us all. If they cannot be persuaded by logic, they will just have to suffer under their own misguided ideas.
If only they didn't have to take the rest of us down with them.
Hat tip: Hot Air
1 comment:
Wow, well said! We find that advocates of government welfare often invoke the language of love found in the scriptures to support their position. But in reality, they are merely advocating implementation of the golden rule by force. A mere contradiction to be sure. They certainly downplay the reality of force behind these programs.
I say, "Government is a gun."
My progressive friend says, "No, Government is a tool, to be used to help people."
I say, "Since when does pointing a gun at someone help them?"
He rolls his eyes.
I say, "And what if people don't support your plan and they resist the taxes they must certainly pay? What does your tool do to them? Do they not end up fined or in jail? Do they not risk losing their freedom if they violate your plan?"
He rolls his eyes again.
Truth is SO annoying. ;)
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