Debate : 19750


Off-Topic / Debate / 19750	19749 \| 19751

Subject:	Re: Just Teasing, I Have No Intention of Debating Any of This...
Newsgroups:	lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date:	Mon, 24 Mar 2003 16:06:46 GMT
Viewed:	875 times

In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Dave Schuler writes: > In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Christopher L. Weeks writes: > > I would rather that people have the ability to trick me losing my money than > > to take it from me at gunpoint. Isn't that how everyone would answer? > > I presume you're talking about the government in the latter case, but can > you rephrase that without the "at gunpoint" phrase? There's no initiation > of force involved; it's simple enforcement of social contract. You may > disagree with the contract, but until you exit from it, you are subject to it. False. Contracts are things agreed to by both parties. I was never given a choice to reject taxes and the attendant benefits. I am no more _morally_ bound by this "social contract" than were the Africans enslaved in the south through their "social contract." Do you fault them for railing at their lot? > > And there is something to be said for the notion of going back to a simpler > > government with the knowledge that we have gained since those times and • adding > > on the needed layers of complexity with purpose rather than as a series of ad > > hoc measures. > > Okay, but who gets to decide which measures are necessary and which are not? I the great American tradition, I suppose we'd vote on representatives who would decide for us. Alternatively -- and preferably in my mind, now that we have the technology to enable this -- we could do away with the representative part of our democracy and vote individually. Even if we just reinstituted the same old system, all the hind-sight we've collected would help the legislators make more wise decisions, I think/hope. Chris

Message has 3 Replies:

		Re: Just Teasing, I Have No Intention of Debating Any of This...
(...) That is absolutely true. (...) By remaining in the country (and partaking of the benefits of government programs) you have willingingly entered the contract (or your parents entered you into the contract, which you must take up with them). (...) (21 years ago, 24-Mar-03, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

		Re: Just Teasing, I Have No Intention of Debating Any of This...
(...) I think there's a big difference b/w the two--in your case, the services you receive via 'your tax dollar' aid you as well as your fellow man. Sure you were 'born into' the agreement, or 'moved into' the agreement when you become a citizen of (...) (21 years ago, 24-Mar-03, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

		Re: Just Teasing, I Have No Intention of Debating Any of This...
(...) This ia always an interesting quandry. The contract has always been viewed as new-generation-enforcable, but is that correct? Are you bound by your parent's contract (or as far back as necessary to either the original constitution or your (...) (21 years ago, 24-Mar-03, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:

		Re: Just Teasing, I Have No Intention of Debating Any of This...
(...) I presume you're talking about the government in the latter case, but can you rephrase that without the "at gunpoint" phrase? There's no initiation of force involved; it's simple enforcement of social contract. You may disagree with the (...) (21 years ago, 24-Mar-03, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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