On Dec 30, 3:26*pm, Tim Daneliuk wrote:
On 12/30/2009 4:08 PM, Neil Brooks wrote: On Dec 30, 1:48 pm, Tim Daneliuk wrote:

SNIP

As for the rest of your post ... it's tantamount to a "Bush-Cheney" or
"McCain-Palin" sticker on a Suburban or Yukon: redundant and
superfluous :-)

I liked neither. *However, the current Messiah's performance is guarnteeing
that I am going to do something I have not done in literally decades -
vote a straight, blind R ticket for the next several elections. *I'd even
take Gingrich-Palin over what we have now. (And I almost NEVER vote for a
Republican.)

I wonder how I made it through eight years of GWB without ever calling
him some horrid media-propagated nickname, despite having been
repulsed by virtually everything he ever did as the Leader of the Free
world.

I have no personal animus towards the current Prez. *

Your language says otherwise.

I have a loathing
for almost every policy decision AND contempt for those who worship him
as some salvific figure. *Hence the term "Messiah".

Your language says otherwise. If you don't like his supporters, then
demonize them, but -- for a lark -- try doing it like an adult might.

Meanwhile, your schoolyard name-calling (ie, "Messiah") is naught but
silly and puerile.

SNIP

Now ... to help re-frame your question ....

Why should you pay taxes?

Because the collective good is served -- in some cases, better, and in

You lost me already at "collective good". *

That's America. The words "General welfare" mean anything to you??

More evil has been done
in the name of the "collective" than any other word in human history.

Then lower yourself to THEIR level by twisting the benevolent meaning
of that phrase ... and/or outlaw religion on the same premise.

Nah. Your argument went "thud" when it fell down.

It has been used to justify all manner of mischief, oppression, brutality,
and horror. *So, frankly, I am uninterested in the "collective good."

I'm interested in preserving freedom for as many people and in as large
amount as possible. * So, by that definition, the only legitimate
use of taxation is to fund the defense of liberty from threats both within-
and without. *

Hm. That certainly just sounds like your own vision of the collective
good.

And nobody could EVER get hurt by that worldview, huh? And no
illegitimate wars could EVER be started if that's the deal, right?

Your former argument now has company on the floor.

Everything else is some form of imbalance of liberty where some
pay and some benefit, but the net amount of freedom does not increase (and in
fact is decreased from some people).

Proof by assertion, huh?

And yet ... the elements of "general welfare" that absorb a lot of tax
dollars ARE some of the primary things that Americans crow about when
marketing their nation to ... nobody in particular.

The answer is: I should happily pay taxes to defend my freedom. (And I do..)
* * * * * * * *I should resist - by all legal and ethical means - to see
* * * * * * * *tax money used for any other purpose because that is stealing.

Cut a few words, and it'll fit nicely on a bumper sticker.