Purpose of Taxes
What is the purpose of taxing people? Why do governments exist?
Once upon a time, in a land far away, governments existed to maintain order and protect rights. That is no longer the case. The PRIMARY reason that government exist today in America is to spend money. That's it. They do not exist even to provide "services" to people. They do not exist to "help" people. And they most certainly do not exist today to "secure [these] rights, deriving their [government's] just Powers from the consent of the governed." That's why the governments of this country were created, in case you didn't learn that in the government-run education ghetto.
We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed.
The US Constitution clearly outlines every single thing that the government is supposed to do. And one part of the Declaration of Independence that certainly should be remembered now is
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is in the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security.
A case in point: A man works in Kentucky. New York decides they want his money because he has money and they want more. He tells them they're crazy. New York decides that they can tax him anyway -- despite the fact that he has NO say in how that money is spent. Didn't we already have one war about taxation without representation? What possible reason can you give for New York taking money away from a man who receives NOTHING in return from NY? This is so far beyond wrong, it's incredible. If I were the man in KY, I'd tell New York where they could go. You want my money, come and get it! And the government of Kentucky would surely assist the man in telling NY where to go, right? Well, they SHOULD. This is exactly what the commerce clause of the US Constitution was designed for. The federal government should quickly and easily step in and tell New York how out of line they are. There's NO way a state should be able to claim ANY part of someone's income who doesn't live there, but especially one who gets ZERO benefits from the state! But this is the state of the government today. They do not exist to serve people, to benefit people, or even to protect ANY rights. They exist to spend money, and they can only spend money if they take it from someone first. Thomas Jefferson once said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Folks, I think the tree is absolutely starving.
Comments
1
Off with their heads . . .!
Posted by: oddybobo at November 15, 2005 12:59 PM (6Gm0j)
2
Ogre says: "Once upon a time, in a land far away, governments existed to maintain order and protect rights."
That must be fantasy land. Jefferson's concept of government is a terrific ideal of what governments should be but has little to do with reality. If anything, our modern democracies are a big improvement over the days of kings, lords, and tribal chiefs. Anybody who tells you he's your king should definitely be shot.
That must be fantasy land. Jefferson's concept of government is a terrific ideal of what governments should be but has little to do with reality. If anything, our modern democracies are a big improvement over the days of kings, lords, and tribal chiefs. Anybody who tells you he's your king should definitely be shot.
Posted by: Windypundit at November 15, 2005 01:15 PM (2W2GT)
3
I'm not stopping you, Oddy!
And Windypundit, you better reload, because there's an awful lot of politicians that will gladly tell you that they are your king -- especially in your neck of the woods.
I'm not so sure our current system is all that much better than the feudal system -- at least in the feudal system, you knew where you stood!
And Windypundit, you better reload, because there's an awful lot of politicians that will gladly tell you that they are your king -- especially in your neck of the woods.
I'm not so sure our current system is all that much better than the feudal system -- at least in the feudal system, you knew where you stood!
Posted by: Ogre at November 15, 2005 01:57 PM (/k+l4)
4
In the feudal system I would have been the queen ;-)
Posted by: oddybobo at November 15, 2005 02:02 PM (6Gm0j)
5
And we would all have lived happily ever after. 
Posted by: Ogre at November 15, 2005 02:56 PM (/k+l4)
6
I'd be cool with that, too. Oddy as queen. However, I'd request a moated castle in Eastern Washington in exchange for my servitude.
By the way, here in Red Washington, they still charge a telegraph tax on phone bills. Essentially, we're still paying a monthly telegraph rent on the telephone poles outside our homes. I've thought about this, and, well, I don't know anyone who's actually ever used a telegraph. Even for fun. Government doesn't like to revoke an established tax, even an obviously antiquated one.
By the way, here in Red Washington, they still charge a telegraph tax on phone bills. Essentially, we're still paying a monthly telegraph rent on the telephone poles outside our homes. I've thought about this, and, well, I don't know anyone who's actually ever used a telegraph. Even for fun. Government doesn't like to revoke an established tax, even an obviously antiquated one.
Posted by: Stevin at November 15, 2005 03:31 PM (LfL8N)
7
And that's just more evidence that governments absolutely DO NOT exist to serve people, or even to make sense -- many people believe that government collects money to provide services. That's not true -- they collect money so they can spend it, period.
We even had a Democrat running for County Comission a few years ago admit it -- he said, "Well of course I'm going to tax and spend -- that's what governments do."
We even had a Democrat running for County Comission a few years ago admit it -- he said, "Well of course I'm going to tax and spend -- that's what governments do."
Posted by: Ogre at November 15, 2005 03:34 PM (/k+l4)
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