Subject:
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Re: Rights to free goods? (was Re: What happened?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Tue, 29 Jun 1999 19:01:45 GMT
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Reply-To:
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LPIENIAZEK@nomorespamNOVERA.COM
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Viewed:
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958 times
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Jeff Stembel wrote:
>
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> > Thomas Main wrote:
> >
> > > Government, on the other hand, is here to
> > > serve the people.
> >
> > No, the proper role of government is to secure the rights of people, not
> > serve them with free goods. You seem to have these two points completely
> > reversed.
>
> I don't remember seeing anything about "free".
But we specifically ARE talking about free goods. Try to keep up. The
assertion being made is that people are *entitled* to a certain level of
medical care whether or not they can afford it. Now, if they can't
afford it, what else would that possibly be other than a free good?
> And the government *is* here to
> serve the people. What do you call road building/maintenance? A "right"?
No, I call it a good. Since it is concrete(1) rather than behavioural,
it's clearly a good, not a right. But! Where is it written that road
building is a proper function of government? Oh heck. Let us suppose it
is... then the way it is funded is a wealth transfer. The analysis is
complex, but there clearly is a transfer from those of us who drive fuel
ineffient cars to those of us who do not. (2)
Further, a fair portion of my gasoline tax is going to fund boondoggles
like "studying" whether a high speed rail link between Orlando and Miami
is a good idea or not. If it were a good idea, we'd have one already
because some private company would have set it up.
> Everything the government does is funded by the Taxpayers, hence our obligation
> to pay taxes. If you don't think you should have to pay taxes, stop using
> everything that is funded by the government.
Where do I sign up?
This argument is specious and you know it. There's no pick and choose
menu available. Further, I can't well take my custom elsewhere.
Every square inch of land surface on the planet is under the suzerainety
of some territorial government or another, claiming a monopoly on the
"governance product" in that territory, so I can't well stop paying
taxes. Government thugs will be by sooner or later to collect, no matter
whether I like it or not.
I'll take the US brand of thugs, thanks. After all, Libertarianism is
winning the day here, unlike say, in the newly repaved (3) Tien An Min
square.
PS, In my book, when you start arguing about whether roads are
privatisable, you have conceded the easier to privatise items. Wouldn't
you rather spar about the Post Office or the Bonneville Power Authority
first, or are you willing to just concede those as clearly not the
function of government?
1 - Ouch. I've cemented my reputation as a punster, I fear. Posting here
may be a bit rocky for me going forward. Well, I'll take the high way
and not do it again. It's such a gas, though. There auto be a law to
prevent me from my own folly.
2 - roundabout(1) here would be the place for some eurotrash to point
out how we in the US pay too much for gas and it's only right that the
fuel efficent drivers pay less per pound of vehicle weight (and hence,
damage) for the road usage(4), but that it's OK to subsidise long
distance trucking at the expense of freight rails, but we should keep
subsidising passenger. But I'm foaming.
3 - in pink granite. How fitting. Any demonstrator bloodstains will be
much harder to spot, and the tank treads won't tear up the pavement as
much. But I'm foaming.
4 - because it's socially good that we discourage use of oil or some
such claptrap.
--
Larry Pieniazek larryp@novera.com http://my.voyager.net/lar
- - - Web Application Integration! http://www.novera.com
NOTE: I have left CTP, effective 18 June 99, and my CTP email
will not work after then. Please switch to my Novera ID.
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