tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post6086254902935664581..comments2023-09-29T06:58:20.125-07:00Comments on Badtux the Snarky Penguin: A thought experimentBadTuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345749557330760251noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post-61640788077518097162011-08-29T14:19:38.009-07:002011-08-29T14:19:38.009-07:00Well, given the rhetoric that "taxation is sl...Well, <a href="http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=taxation+is+slavery" rel="nofollow">given the rhetoric that "taxation is slavery" from those claiming to be Libertarian</a>, it's an easy thing to conclude that libertarians are in fact anarcho-capitalists, since without taxes there is no government. But as Purple points out, there are some libertarians who in fact believe in taxes and government, they just want government to be what it was in 1776, when all that government did was fund a military and the postal service. And they're <a href="http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=postal+service+libertarian" rel="nofollow">sorta dubious about the postal service part</a>.<br /><br />- Badtux the Snarky PenguinBadTuxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01345749557330760251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post-54623374504716520182011-08-29T14:15:22.850-07:002011-08-29T14:15:22.850-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.purplepenquinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17985523216476971244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post-90724878786337988672011-08-29T13:56:26.165-07:002011-08-29T13:56:26.165-07:00The libertarian stance that some gov't funding...<i>The libertarian stance that some gov't funding is acceptable&needed would work.</i><br /><br />Wait, wait - so libertarians are fine with the principle of "taking my money by force to do stuff collectively we al benefit for" - but they're against government?Phoenicianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04211507669622120640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post-55651492493094144132011-08-29T13:02:42.638-07:002011-08-29T13:02:42.638-07:00What happens next is a "conservative" Su...What happens next is a "conservative" Supreme Court steps in an finds a way to negate the effects of positive outcomes.nanutehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04526158764171117978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post-19845258687361514432011-08-29T09:53:37.996-07:002011-08-29T09:53:37.996-07:00Bukko, nope, that's not what happens next (not...Bukko, nope, that's not what happens next (note that this example occurs back when the U.S. had a functioning democratically elected national government, rather than today, and is based on a real-life set of events). <br /><br />Purple -- almost right. You'll have to tune in tomorrow to see :).<br /><br />Lynne -- the principle of, "if you benefit from it, you should pay for it" is sort of fundamental in a capitalist economy, a capitalist economy doesn't function in the presence of large numbers of freeloaders because it reduces or eliminates the incentive of the majority to pay to produce things of value (which is also why communism is Teh Fail -- Communism has no solution to the freeloader problem). Furthermore, the notion that taxation is slavery in a democracy doesn't pass the laugh and giggle test, because in a democracy, it is We The People who impose taxes upon ourselves. How can taxes that we ourselves impose upon ourselves be slavery? Oh sure, the freeloaders whine and complain that they have to pay taxes to pay for the services that the majority of us have decided that our government should provide, but they're freeloaders, who want the benefits (fewer dead children in this example) but without having to pay for them. Why should we listen to them? <br /><br />DJ: Good point. To do this, we need some entity that's larger than the RM and PM industries combined that can't be bankrupted if one or the other files a lawsuit. Hmm, what could we call such an entity? :)<br /><br />- Badtux the Thought-experimentin' PenguinBadTuxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01345749557330760251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post-62504010227211557462011-08-29T09:34:38.570-07:002011-08-29T09:34:38.570-07:00There is also the likelihood that in publishing yo...There is also the likelihood that in publishing your *own* study, the companies that make RM and PM will sue you for liable, citing their own studies that contradict yours. Because they have huge pockets and can outspend you on high priced lawyers, and crank out even more studies, you will lose.DJ Allynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11533524707928385405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post-54715615718054281172011-08-29T07:59:50.457-07:002011-08-29T07:59:50.457-07:00Taxation is only similar to slavery if it is force...Taxation is only similar to slavery if it is forced upon someone and even then it is kind of insulting to people who have or are currently actually enslaved to pretend that taxation is really all that much like slavery. As long as a country doesn't prevent its citizens from leaving and renouncing their citizenship, no one is being forced to pay taxes. By choosing to remain and to follow the laws, they are in effect choosing to be taxed. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't fight within the system to lower their taxes if that is what they would like but it always makes me laugh when they start whining about all of the things they don't like tax money being spent on. <br /><br />On a side note, I had to laugh this morning because on of my libertarian facebook friends posted a giant rant about how pissed off he is as our country government for choosing to install a four-way stop instead of a light at an intersection he frequents. It is funny because if he had his way, there wouldn't be enough money for signs OR a light.NoNamehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525122106635914532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post-84594829226950411132011-08-29T04:03:44.715-07:002011-08-29T04:03:44.715-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.purplepenquinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17985523216476971244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post-84852151414545077292011-08-29T03:55:56.277-07:002011-08-29T03:55:56.277-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.purplepenquinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17985523216476971244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9612609.post-55025177270531054682011-08-29T02:44:50.121-07:002011-08-29T02:44:50.121-07:00What happens next?
Can I guess what happens next...<i>What happens next? </i><br /><br />Can I guess what happens next? The corporation that makes RM uses its clout to ward off the government regulators who might take action on the study, or uses its money to throw up a lot of dust with competing "studies" that are BS, but try to shed doubt on the integrity of the study that shows RM is dangerous? Because those are uses of corporate power, which Glibs always seem to overlook.Bukko Boomerangerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02424677168216647964noreply@blogger.com