X-Message-Number: 23127 From: Subject: Re: message # 23100 (James Swayze) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 18:38:40 +0000 Hi James. Reading 101: Always read the post. (James): "Umm, ok, and without taxes these will be supported how?". (Me): As I said: with a small national sales tax. You seem to disagree with me that a descent into anarchy would require an armed revolt by a large sector of the population. You say it requires only a general lack of respect for the needs of others and the lack of adequate law enforcement. Even if this description fit 99% of the population, I only see two ways they could initiate change: Through the ballot box or an armed revolt. Since most of them would vote R&D, that would only produce more of the same...history has proved that! So, all that's left is an armed revolt. If it was done by a small group the results would mirror Ruby Ridge and Waco. If done by those 99% the result would be anarchy..at least until a despot arose. Anyway, my statement remains true! You go on to say libertarians have a total disdain for taxation. That is true for me but I have been convinced by other's arguments (some of them libertarians) that a government financed completely by voluntary donations is (at least for the foreseeable future) impractical. You repeat: "...supported how if not by taxation?". I repeat: By a small national sales tax. Several sentences down you repeat: "Funded how if not by taxation by coercion?". I repeat: By a small national sales tax. Yes, if you bought something you would be forced by coercion to pay a small national sales tax. I don't like it but it is infinitely better than the smorgasbord of taxes, exemptions, and thousands upon thousands of pages of bureaucratic bull s--- that now passes for the tax codes! Regarding my statement that a Libertarian government would use coercion against criminals you ask (again): "Pleas explain in detail how this is to be affected without taxation voluntary or otherwise.". Like I said in my original post (you surely must have missed it): By a small national sales tax! You seem to think the old west was like the 1950's Hollywood depictions. From watching the History channel and other sources of documentaries, it doesn't seem to have been that way. True, it was much closer to my ideal than exist today, but it didn't stay that way long. The reason is that when the occasional crime occurred the government's response was the same as today: Make some activity illegal or regulate it to death rather than arrest and punish the culprit and leave people free to to the same thing but with the understanding that if they did, the results would be the same...arrest and punishment! Libertarianism as proposed by the Lib. Nat'l. Committee has NEVER, NEVER been tried...much less tried and failed. You are totally incorrect here! You say you are anti-authoritarian, that may be true but your post don't reflect that opinion! In conclusion, I would like to see the Libertarian Party gain full control of the federal government next election. I would also like to be cured of aging and all other biological afflictions TOMORROW. As I see it, both wishes are equally likely to come to pass. I think all three of us (I include Mike Perry here) agree with that. Lets hope the Free State Project overcomes the obstacles and is given a chance to prove itself one way or another. Best wishes, Jerry Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=23127