Stimulating Gifts
There’s a story about an old woman who sends a letter to God, asking for $100 to help her out of a dire situation. The postal workers are so touched after reading the undeliverable letter, that they take up a collection totaling $95 and deliver it the next day. The following day, the old woman sends another letter to God and the workers excitedly gather around to read it. She says, “Dear God. Thank you so much for the money I asked you for. I was able to buy some food and pay off my utilities before getting shut off. I am so grateful for your help. You should know though, the envelope was $5 short. I think one of those bastards at the post office stole it”.
There is nothing quite like the feeling of giving a gift that is unappreciated. It’s worse when the gift is expected, yet doesn’t live up to the recipients’ expectations. Instead of feeling the joy of giving, the giver feels shame, inadequacy and eventually, anger. This is similar to the joy of paying taxes in a welfare state.
None of us likes to pay taxes. However, responsible citizens realize there is a cost associated with the benefits of government. There is a value to having protection from foreign armies, recourse against broken contracts and defense against those who wish to steal or damage private property. These are the basic services of government. Anything beyond is simply a gift from the taxpayer.
When any group of citizens lobbies for a government benefit, it is asking for a gift at someone else’s expense. Government power to provide any benefits comes from its ability to exert a tremendous amount of violence on behalf of its citizens. Whether it’s arresting criminals or collecting taxes, government authority is ultimately enforced at the point of a gun.
When a good intention such as helping a neighbor through a tough time, or a neat-o idea like saving the world from global warming becomes law, it changes the relationship of government and citizen into master and slave. The group asked to pay for the new benefit doesn’t really have a choice, other than dying or running away. Just like a slave. America has reached a point where one tribe of citizens can lobby the government to enslave another.
The ironic thing about using government power to enslave others is that eventually, everyone becomes a slave. About 100 years ago, the middle class thought it would be a good idea to stick it to the rich. Enough people liked the idea that they passed an amendment to the Constitution allowing a federal income tax. Now the middle class is getting stuck by the poor.
America is running out of groups to stick it to. The rich and middle class are about tapped out and the poor don’t have enough money to take, so the next set of victims will be future Americans. The spending bill that just passed is 100% deficit spending. By definition this means it will be paid back in the future. If it isn’t paid by direct taxes, it will be paid by inflated currency (which is a tax on everyone with currency), but one way or the other the bill will come due.
Never in history has a government spent its way out of a recession. If that worked, why would a government ever stop spending? If it will work for some unknown reason today, then why are we even in a recession since the government has been running a deficit for years? However, asking whether the new law will work to stimulate the economy is entirely the wrong question. The real question is does the government have a moral right to step beyond the bounds of protecting its citizens from force and fraud? There is no doubt that the government has a legal right, but does legal always equal moral?
A gift coerced from taxpayers is only moral in a universe where one tribe may righteously enslave the services of another. If a government gift were truly a gift, it would be voluntarily given and there would be no reason for government involvement. Anything else is simply using government power to spend someone else’s money.
People are becoming angry over the endless bailouts and reckless spending. Anger is the right emotion. Whether or not one personally benefits or suffers from the specifics, most of us feel anger at injustice. Those who support the use of government coercion always claim that their need outweighs the injustice of taking from someone else. The criminal courts don’t recognize need as a justification for stealing and the court of public opinion shouldn’t either.
There will never be a shortage of people who want something for nothing. Con men couldn’t make a living if there were. However, people who expect something for nothing are always disappointed in the end. The “gifts” from the taxpayers are never sufficient. People always want more and the realization usually comes too late that the best way for everyone to get more is for the government to get out of the way. By the time the majority has finally figured this out, the master is already in complete control and the next election is cancelled until further notice.
There is nothing quite like the feeling of giving a gift that is unappreciated. It’s worse when the gift is expected, yet doesn’t live up to the recipients’ expectations. Instead of feeling the joy of giving, the giver feels shame, inadequacy and eventually, anger. This is similar to the joy of paying taxes in a welfare state.
None of us likes to pay taxes. However, responsible citizens realize there is a cost associated with the benefits of government. There is a value to having protection from foreign armies, recourse against broken contracts and defense against those who wish to steal or damage private property. These are the basic services of government. Anything beyond is simply a gift from the taxpayer.
When any group of citizens lobbies for a government benefit, it is asking for a gift at someone else’s expense. Government power to provide any benefits comes from its ability to exert a tremendous amount of violence on behalf of its citizens. Whether it’s arresting criminals or collecting taxes, government authority is ultimately enforced at the point of a gun.
When a good intention such as helping a neighbor through a tough time, or a neat-o idea like saving the world from global warming becomes law, it changes the relationship of government and citizen into master and slave. The group asked to pay for the new benefit doesn’t really have a choice, other than dying or running away. Just like a slave. America has reached a point where one tribe of citizens can lobby the government to enslave another.
The ironic thing about using government power to enslave others is that eventually, everyone becomes a slave. About 100 years ago, the middle class thought it would be a good idea to stick it to the rich. Enough people liked the idea that they passed an amendment to the Constitution allowing a federal income tax. Now the middle class is getting stuck by the poor.
America is running out of groups to stick it to. The rich and middle class are about tapped out and the poor don’t have enough money to take, so the next set of victims will be future Americans. The spending bill that just passed is 100% deficit spending. By definition this means it will be paid back in the future. If it isn’t paid by direct taxes, it will be paid by inflated currency (which is a tax on everyone with currency), but one way or the other the bill will come due.
Never in history has a government spent its way out of a recession. If that worked, why would a government ever stop spending? If it will work for some unknown reason today, then why are we even in a recession since the government has been running a deficit for years? However, asking whether the new law will work to stimulate the economy is entirely the wrong question. The real question is does the government have a moral right to step beyond the bounds of protecting its citizens from force and fraud? There is no doubt that the government has a legal right, but does legal always equal moral?
A gift coerced from taxpayers is only moral in a universe where one tribe may righteously enslave the services of another. If a government gift were truly a gift, it would be voluntarily given and there would be no reason for government involvement. Anything else is simply using government power to spend someone else’s money.
People are becoming angry over the endless bailouts and reckless spending. Anger is the right emotion. Whether or not one personally benefits or suffers from the specifics, most of us feel anger at injustice. Those who support the use of government coercion always claim that their need outweighs the injustice of taking from someone else. The criminal courts don’t recognize need as a justification for stealing and the court of public opinion shouldn’t either.
There will never be a shortage of people who want something for nothing. Con men couldn’t make a living if there were. However, people who expect something for nothing are always disappointed in the end. The “gifts” from the taxpayers are never sufficient. People always want more and the realization usually comes too late that the best way for everyone to get more is for the government to get out of the way. By the time the majority has finally figured this out, the master is already in complete control and the next election is cancelled until further notice.
posted by BoiseJag at 4:22 PM
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