Month: December 2010

Of course the federal government cannot force individuals to actually buy something they don’t want, but it is just as much an abomination that the court didn’t strike down the power of the federal government to regulate healthcare. Anyone who is ignorant enough to bastardize the Interstate Commerce Clause to assume such should really check their history:

It is very certain that [the commerce clause] grew out of the abuse of the power by the importing States in taxing the non-importing, and was intended as a negative and preventive provision against injustice among the States themselves, rather than as a power to be used for the positive purposes of the General Government.
–James Madison

Just to be clear, when it comes to the government “giving” millionaires $750 billion for a middle class tax cut; the US government isn’t giving anything to anyone. They are simply not TAKING $750 billion from people who make millions a year. We can rationally argue the cost/benefits of such action but government only gives away what it has taken, by force, from other people.

In free societies, States do not have rights; people have rights. States (i.e. governments) have powers that are delegated to them by people.

I believe that government has the power to tax people and I even think taxing people is a necessity in any successful government. But people who confuse a right and a power are doing themselves an intellectual dishonesty by choosing to remain woefully ignorant about the means and methods of obtaining that freedom. Government is ONLY capable of taking liberty; it cannot give it.

Again, I believe that it IS necessary to take some freedoms to have a organized society but do not foolishly convince yourself that you have not surrendered something; even if in the act of surrender you give yourself more stability or opportunity.