More than just a piece of paper
Political ·Friday October 3, 2008 @ 19:08 EDT (link)
It only stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there's someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there's service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
—Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
—Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
It should be illegal, or at least unconscionable, to elect anyone but a libertarian to any position of authority in these United States, from President, senate, and house, on down. Any time when these representatives decide to take the people's money and redistribute it, to use it for any means not either paying for the workings of (minimal) government or constitutionally mandated uses (e.g. defense, which doesn't include wars in Iraq or Afghanistan), or for something that every single individual contributing has agreed voluntarily, they violate the Constitution, and such behavior should merit a recall.
Neither democracy nor direct voting not even the answer (you still have the problem of the majority stealing from the majority, i.e. two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner): the only true direct voting is to let people opt in individually: the choice should not be "Shall we force people to pay for X?" but "Do you personally want to support X? If so, send your money here; if not, do nothing." Congress should have to persuade people to support their so-called social programs, and if they can't persuade enough individuals to give money, let those programs die.
The fourth amendment (anti-seizure) and the thirteenth (anti-slavery, specifically anti-involuntary servitude) amendments should make use of taxes for redistribution of wealth unconstitutional (despite the sixteenth amendment allowing their levying). Paying taxes to support others (no matter how legitimate or moral the cause) is seizure of goods and involuntary servitude, under threat of forcible confinement. If anyone asks you when slavery was abolished in these United States, the answer is "Not yet."
