Bastiat: Legal Plunder
Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 10 years, 1 month ago to Government
Bastiat: Legal Plunder
Our government uses force to perpetrate “Legal Plunder” every day.
The purpose of government is to protect the individual. Property is an extension of the individual. Money is property.
Published on Mar 18, 2014
Imagine you and I are strolling down the street one fine day on our way to have a nice lunch and we come across a woman who is truly destitute. She needs many things including food to feed her baby. Imagine also that you just cashed a check and you know, and I know, that you have $200.00 in your pocket.
Now imagine that I decide that you should give the 200 dollars to the woman. (Remember, she is truly needy.) So I take out my handgun and I order you, at gunpoint, to turn over the 200 to the woman. Not wanting your brains splattered all over the street, you comply.
But it's not over. Let's just say that I am so moved by this woman's situation...
http://freedomoutpost.com/2014/03/conver...
Respectfully,
O.A.
Our government uses force to perpetrate “Legal Plunder” every day.
The purpose of government is to protect the individual. Property is an extension of the individual. Money is property.
Published on Mar 18, 2014
Imagine you and I are strolling down the street one fine day on our way to have a nice lunch and we come across a woman who is truly destitute. She needs many things including food to feed her baby. Imagine also that you just cashed a check and you know, and I know, that you have $200.00 in your pocket.
Now imagine that I decide that you should give the 200 dollars to the woman. (Remember, she is truly needy.) So I take out my handgun and I order you, at gunpoint, to turn over the 200 to the woman. Not wanting your brains splattered all over the street, you comply.
But it's not over. Let's just say that I am so moved by this woman's situation...
http://freedomoutpost.com/2014/03/conver...
Respectfully,
O.A.
The cost to society is a complete break in any respect for law. There's no rule of law at that point, only the rule of 'I say so because…' That is anarchy under color of governance. But who's at fault - is it the taker, or is it the failure to defend in the first part? The only answer has to be, at the next scheduled time to deliver your money, go buy a bigger gun and use it.
Will you allow them to die?
If not who should bear the load of taking care of them?
This is not idle talk. If you do not already contribute to the Salvation Army, then you probably should. They are one of the best charities that I know.
As an atheist I do not much support religion, but I think the SA are just fine. If all government welfare were ended (we can hope!) then the Salvation Army would be one of the first to step in and take over.
Drop money into the bell-ringer's red bucket every Christmas!
I agree. I contribute to charities and offer employment. This is how I help others. I would offer what help I could of my own free will, but for government or anyone else to demand and extort through force my benevolence is not benevolence. It is theft!
Regards,
O.A.
Salvation Army, United Way, Red Cross, Shriners' Hospitals, Catholic Health Care, and bunches of others do excellent work.
But it seems that "others" are who is relied upon to help those truly in need. Do you see that as selfish?
But I do NOT like anyone who comes along telling me to donate or how much or forcing me to do so.
By that definition, we are a very evil culture.
Your book (TGP) has the formula for success within. We must reinstate those principles.
Regards,
O.A.
http://bastiat.org/en/the_law.html
http://dannesrepossessions.wordpress.com...
Thank you for providing a source/links for those who have not read this important work.
Respectfully,
O.A.
Thanks for the post, OA.
NMA
We all have our strengths and weaknesses. It is good to roll with the punches. :)
Regards,
O.A.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x337wb_...
;-)
However, it will be a a much stronger message when without biblical scripture in the background, which is completely unrelated, and a majority of the same well-meaning socialists standing to be swayed view it as similar, unyielding intrusion into their social freedoms.
Indeed. The message needs no religious context. Natural rights are all that need be respected.
Respectfully,
O.A.
While we do not share responsibility, we each are responsible. Charity begins at home. Why if your house is not seen after how can you help another profitably, It cannot work. The balance must be there or all will fail. Any thing done for another, given to another, must be so done with gladness of heart. Neither can prosper, the giver nor taker.
During the time when Rand wrote AS, she saw the government doing exactly the way she wrote it. She left Russia to start a new life in America only to find that the America she imagined did not exist. She saw this great country being taken apart bill by bill, law by law. The book she so lovingly wrote was one of desperation resulting from disappointment. While the book is a work of fiction the meaning is not.
Our great Nation is holding on by a thread that is itself becoming weak under pressure, without the nutrition necessary to sustain her. No government whom devises means of legal plunder to rule over others will prosper. It is impossible.
Thank you for the thoughtful commentary. I am pleased you enjoyed the article.
Regards,
O.A.
I appreciated the opportunity to comment on your post as it is a serious issue in our country. Too many do not have an insight as to what is happening within our military today.
Kindred spirits,
Mona Lisa
Glad you enjoyed it.
Regards,
O.A.
We have a Sheriff here who seems to be involved in the drug trade, and to up his profits apparently, has declared an intention to decriminalize drug use, ignoring the law.. He has ignored the plunder of the multi-hundred dollar a day cost per user that results is supported by the retailers and homeowners, whose stolen property funds those drug buys. He needs to be gone, and I have gone to writing letters to the editor protesting, within the law, his abusive decisions. I have the ear of city council now, and one editor. Luckily, we have an excellent, and lawful Chief of Police who is against this guy's self-indulgence.
Good to know there are others out there fighting the battle and trying to illuminate.
Regards,
O.A.
I'm excited for the new Atlas Shrugged movie, and I found my own way to contribute to the cause of liberty:
Feel free to sample my new ebook, Whisper Independence.
http://www.amazon.com/Whisper-Independen...
Long time no hear! Best of success with your book. I have put it on my list. Do you have any plans for ink on paper? I prefer it that way and I also like to display my conquests proudly on my ever expanding bookshelves. We have some great authors here. Besides my usual parade of dry subject matter, their books (of a much more entertaining nature) keep me out of trouble and well read. :)
Always good to hear from you.
Regards,
O.A.
I will have to pursue the print option. Anyone have experience with the best way to go with print? Success stories? Horror stories? Thanks, OA--I appreciate your interest in Whisper Independence. Have you heard from Lipstick on this site? I haven't seen her. I miss hearing from her, but not Commonwealth, heh, heh!
You should post a thread inquiring of our resident authors of their experiences with print material.
Lipstick$ has on rare occasion commented here. I share e-mails with her a couple of times a year. She has commented on my Producer of the Week page from several weeks back. If you reply to one of her comments there, perhaps she will respond.
We have our own Commonwealths here from time to time, but this forum allows us greater freedom to combat them. :)
Regards,
O.A.
Nevertheless public law is also crucial, but only as a guarrantee against private abuse, which sometimes too tends to happen. But public law must be prior and only should be used as defense, not as an imposition. When the state begins to approve measures that demean citizens´ rights and seek rent from them, then excess is at hand. A guarantee is not a fine, and a fine should be noted as a contribution and not an obligation. A contribution that, as given, must also give to the contributor a return (receipt, right or credit). Fair is fair, that´s the way I see it.
Yes. Equal opportunity is fair. Egalitarianism is inherently unfair to the productive. They are forced into servitude.
Respectfully,
O.A.
It should be required reading for High school civics, or social studies or whatever... the point is that it should be fresh in the minds of young voters when they come of age. Too few are taught anything but progressive statist claptrap nowadays.
Respectfully,
O.A.
Thank you for the kind words. It is my pleasure.
Regards,
O.A.
Regards,
O.A.