Proper Role of Government
IN GENERAL,
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B012IJ56MC
The simplest (and yet the most complete) explanation of the proper function of government that has ever been written.
Some goods or services can be paid for individually, and others are lumped together in a package.
“Citizenship” entails the acceptance of a package of goods and services.
Whatever is taxed, is discouraged by government.
Income should never be taxed.
This is discouragement from working (productivity).
In general, it would make more sense to tax the consumption of value (sales tax) , than to tax the production of value (income tax).
This does not mean that the more sensible tax is “fair”.
ALSO there should be NO MONEY SPENT by government unless it is for a legitimate, constitutional function of government.
There should be NO MONEY SPENT by government unless it is for constitutional function, performed by the correct branch of government, and at the appropriate level.
Most of our governing should be local and state.
Everything that government does involves the use of force. Government uses force to compel the compliance with each of it laws, by providing PENALTIES for violation of laws. Laws may REQUIRE a specific action from the citizen or they may PROHIBIT a specific action of a citizen.
At the very least, in ALL cases the actions of government are funded by tax revenues that are taken from citizens through the use, or threat of the use, of FORCE.
This means that a moral government may only do those things, for which the use of FORCE, would be morally justifiable. Therefore; the central question in defining The Proper Role Of Government is: “When is the use of FORCE morally justifiable?”
The answer is the same, when government is considered, as it would be for any individual.
We, as individuals, have a moral right to use force in our own SELF DEFENSE.
We also have a right to use force in defense of someone else, who has authorized us to act in their behalf.
Government is the agency; which we have collectively authorized to act on behalf of the entire population.
Our founding fathers wrote, in the Declaration of Independence, that governments are instituted among men to protect our rights, and that they derive their just powers from the CONSENT of the governed. The governed have no authority to give CONSENT to the government for any action, that they; as INDIVIDUALS have no right. We have no authority to authorize government to use FORCE, when it is not justified by the need for defense.
Each time that government acts, we should be able to ask “What is the moral justification for this use of force?” This question can be broken down into several smaller questions:
Who is the government protecting?
(If the answer is “no one” this function of government is not morally justifiable, and should be abolished)
Has the citizen, who is allegedly being protected, authorized the government to act on his behalf?
(If the answer is “no” this function of government is not morally justifiable, and should be abolished. There is sometimes an “implied consent”, where the citizen is not capable of expressing consent. Ex. a unconscious person, a minor, a mentally infirmed person)
Has the citizen, who is allegedly being protected, attempted to specifically REFUSE to assistance of government?
(If the answer is “yes” this function of government is not morally justifiable, and should be abolished)
Who is the government protecting this citizen FROM?
(Government uses force against PEOPLE. The use of force against one person cannot be justified by the wrongful behavior of a DIFFERENT person. It also cannot be justified because of bad luck, acts of God, or the elements of nature.)
Is the government using force against anyone else, other than the aggressor?
(The moral justification for the use of force only exists, when the force is being used; against ONLY the aggressor.)
GOVERNMENT IS NOT OUR GOD.
Being favor of freedom is not the same thing as being in favor of everything that people do when they are free.
Freedom is not forcing everyone to do whatever you say, OR whatever the government says.
Freedom is not the right to force everyone to follow the teachings of your religion.
If you have a free country there will be people who live their lives differently than you do. Teach them your beliefs, but do not use force; either on your own or with the help of government.
The precedent that you create can be used against you too. There are those you plan to force you to follow Islamic law. What would you say to that?
Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941) – American judge
That is “choice”.
Governments make laws; which are ENFORCED by the power of police and courts.
We should be careful when we convert religious ideals into laws.
The ends DO NOT justify the means. As soon as you begin to plead the benefits of allowing government to cross this line, there is no where else to close the gate. You take one step onto the slippery slope, and you slide all the way to the chasm.
Government has no moral basis to tell us ANYTHING ELSE- EXCEPT WHERE OUR ACTIONS VIOLATE ANOTHER PERSONS RIGHTS.Those of us who believe in an omnipotent Supreme Being find it strange that some people will accept the idea that He needs the help of government to punish sinners. If He created Heaven and Earth, the stars, the sun, the moon, all of the plants, and all of the animals why would He need an “assistant” in Washington, or in your police department? The assertion that God needs the help of people with guns, clubs and tazers is a contradiction to the belief in God.
Thomas Jefferson said:
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”
We add this:
“The battle for liberty is never won, and is never lost.
The battle for liberty always continues.
It is never too late, and it is never soon enough, to defend freedom.
No matter how enslaved we are, we always have hope.
No matter how free we are we are never safe.
NOTHING EVER LIMITS THE GOVERNMENT, EXCEPT THE PEOPLE.
Any generation that fails to defend freedom will lose it.
The next generation will have to shed blood to gain it back.
When the defense of liberty becomes a crime, tyranny is already in force. At that point failure to defend liberty makes slavery at certainty.” John Perna
WARNING: This message has been intercepted and stored by the National Security Agency as part of its unlawful spying program on all Americans. The National Security Agency is the only part of the government that actually LISTENS to you. Do you wish that the government would read the Constitution? Just email it privately to your friends. What we formerly called “freedom of speech” we now call the “right to remain silent.” BUT they will now claim that you DO NOT HAVE the right to remain silent… if THEY are asking the questions.
The Patriot Act is constitutionally illegal, but was signed into law takes away your rights and turns them into privileges, which the government can grant or take away at will. If you remember we were told that this would just be temporary. Now it has been made permanent. But no one protested did they?
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