Thomas Paine once said that: “Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.”
In order to exist, government must necessarily take away some rights from some people in order to protect the remaining rights of all. I have heard this called the “social contract.”
For instance, the government here taxes the incomes of most Americans at backbreaking levels, so much so that in a two-parent household, both parents must work, simply to make the tax payments and have enough left over to feed the family. This level of taxation is almost unheard of throughout human history, until the 20th century. It now takes more than six months of the year for the average American to pay the cost of today’s government.
Then the government reneges on its promise to protect individual rights, by violating them instead. For instance, for many years the government has waged a so-called “war on drugs” which not only violates the right of the people to have and use drugs, but which the government has used to infringe other rights as well, such as the right to privacy.
“he natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground,” Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying. The usual question, though it’s rarely asked this way, is who shall be violated, in what ways, and to what extent? And government employees are always thinking up new and innovative ways to violate people’s rights. It’s what they get paid for.
Much of what today’s governments do is presented in the guise of “helping” the “less fortunate” who, without government help, would have no way to survive in a cruel, “uncaring” world. It’s for this reason that more than 50% of your income goes to government taxes and regulations. And while helping the less fortunate is certainly a good thing to do, being forced to do it destroys any honor there might have been in the act of charity. To top it all off, government welfare even harms the recipients of the stolen blood money, by entangling them in a system they can’t easily get out of, teaching them to expect others to provide for them, and even sapping their will to live.
How has government violated your rights to life, liberty and property? Tell us your story.
Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works license.
Video published by this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Sampling+ license.
Bad Behavior has blocked 2532 access attempts in the last 7 days.
Facebook
Digg
del.icio.us
reddit.com
Newsvine
Jerry A. Pipes
Jul 24, 2007
Everyone is certainly familiar with the Kelo decision and the death of personal property, but for me the point was driven home by my recent battle with my local sewer district. All I can say is you had better hope that your property doesn’t stand in the way of progress, or you will find yourself asking, what private property?
Jim Napier
Jul 24, 2007
People used to be able to own things, like land their labor and even their own horse, wagon or more recently an automobile. Today in the land of the free one buys a car and then is forced to give it to the state in exchange for a small metal plate that announces to the world what feudal state owns the conveyance. In exchange for the original title (the bill of sale) the serf gets a pink slip certifying that the title now resides with the state of whatever, but not the one in possession of the thing. And, what about the very land we stand on and in every actual sense came from? Any one actually own the land that they live on? I doubt it. If you pay a “property tax” on that parcel you have a mere equitable interest in it, or to put it simply you do not own it in any real sense of the word. Yet, ask yourself what is the interest or right the state is using to claim there alleged authority to tax that land? The most common state interest would be a bank mortgage on the parcel which creates the nexus the state uses to arrest the parcel until you bail it out by paying the tax. After the mortgage is paid off there remains a presumption that the state still has that corporate interest in “your land.” And, if you do not establish that that interest no longer exists the parcel will remain under state taxation. America is not a free nation and the people are not mentally well to continue this illusion of being free in the land of the rich, for the rich and by the rich.
Ray
Jul 25, 2007
Some friends and I have had some interesting experiences in the last few years. An old friend is active at a high level in the “militia”. He is actually their state director of “electronic security”. None of the rest of us are active, but all of us have had strange things happen. Obviously he has had the “strangest”.
One of the more on point examples was at his offices. His wife, who is his accountant, went in after hours to work, and was jumped by four men who had the phones taken apart and had several of the ceiling tiles removed. She had the S*** beat out of her by these men. At about this same time four men who matched the description of the men in the attack came running out of the building and got in a US government licensed vehicle. Later on one of our group looked the situation over while our friend was at the hospital with his wife. Finding a bunch of strange electronics in the ceiling and in the telephones he took them to the sheriff’s office. He was promptly arrested for possession of bugging devices. Then a day later released because “the evidence against you hast been lost” By the way all of the hospital records were also lost. When asked about the investigation we were informed that the sheriff’s office was not permitted to investigate that incident.
Another friend was being followed by a car with a state license plate. When he made a public information request for information on that plate he was arrested at the BMV. He was informed that they had to arrest anyone who asked about that plate. No they couldn’t tell him why.
I know that I was being followed by a car and got annoyed with it. I had a sports car, so I got in the right hand lane of a four lane highway and turned on my right turn signal. The other car did the same. I “arranged” for a car to be to their left, and then did a high speed (but safe) left hand turn. I expected them to lose me. When I went back by the area the car was upside down with lots of emergency vehicles around it and the other car. Interestingly enough all the dispatch tapes of that day are missing and no reports exist even though report numbers for that time period were issued.
And one wonders why the “militia” is “paranoid”??????
Jim Napier
Jul 25, 2007
Militia people are an interesting bunch, I will say. Unfortunately, they sometimes do not understand where their rights come from in particular the right to carry a weapon (bear arms?). This and all other rights DO NOT come from any government, they do not exist because of words on a piece of paper written over two hundred years ago. You and I have rights only if we claim them and fight for them individually. If you claim that your rights are civil (administrative) you will never have any right to any thing at all. Governments fear an informed, thinking populace; not people who believe what they are spoon fed by what passes for news today. A feudal serf 400 years ago in Britain, France or Germany for instance would laugh at you if you told him or her that they were mere slaves. And so it is today. We are asleep, but the internet might, just might be the tool that awakens those who want to believe what they are told, and start them thinking once again.
Anonymous
Jul 25, 2007
well for one ting i now have to show up in person to make international bank transfers, which makes it impossible to pay the rent on my foreign apartment online. i had to open an account in the other country just to pay my bills online. before 911 i was able to do it from my US account from anywhere in the world with the push of a button. so you now have to have an account in every country you have bills in.
on a more grass-roots note i was once threatened with arrest for demanding to see an accident report that the supervisor herself told me i could see for free. but when i got there i was stonewalled by this self-loathing peon in uniform who threat4ened to *arrest* me if i didn’t stop asking to see the report, as opposed to buying a copy for 5 doilars. it’s the one business where employees who should be foired get promoted and customers are threatened with jail for complaining.
necessary evil? Paine had it *half* right..
Anonymous
Jul 25, 2007
it has broken my heart, made me ashamed to be human, made me unable to trust, unable to take joy in the things of the world due to my shame in being a part of it.. hmm, lessee..
other than that i think it’s a true testament to the human spirit and we should never forget its most enduring lesson: the past was theirs, the present is theirs and the future will be theirs – deprive them of it by not breeding any more slaves for them, and do it before they learn how to breed us in test tubes or we’ll have a brave new world on our hands – which frankly would be preferable to what we have now: if yer gonna treat people like drones, you could at least have the courtesy to actually manufacture them that way. a genetically-engineered smile is better than a violently-coerced one, eh?
i’m afraid it’s down to that..
it would be satisfying, though, wouldn’t it, to see the upper 1% left in sole possession of this world they so crave, finally rid of these plebes they so detest ruining all their “beauty”, to fall upon each other like the banshees they are and watch them re-stratify into the new society, and see who the new “riffraff” are, and the new royalty, and what reasons are given by the new royalty for dispossessing their former partners in slime.. i’d bet dollars to donuts God would make His “will” known to whoever had the most guns, and they would become the new pope, who would then annoint his younger brother the “legitimate” king of the world..
crook cops need hell
Jul 27, 2007
The Government has fucked me over so bad and all of us!! Look at how the Dow fell 300 pts. Those NEo-NAtzi assholes ruin lives!!! They will get what they desserve!! Now it is time for them to pay the PIPER!!!
JohnWilkesBooth
Jul 28, 2007
I was screwed by the legal system when I was a kid. I was stupid enough to believe that the FDA thoroughly studies the pharma trials and let the doctor over-prescribe me medication that almost killed me. I got arrested and the cops and judge treated me like I was a piece of trash, although it was a non-violent misdemeanor. I bought a Ford Cobra, since I grew up brain washed into “loving” American icons. Little did I know that they had a bad engine design that year. Me and several other people filed complaints with the DOT. Of course the DOT sided with Ford, even though Ford admitted the design mistake. I have been screwed in too many other ways to list. I know there are millions of people in America who have it worse than me. But it has turned me and many others into warriors which will backfire on the rich, fat and lazy leaders of this country.
alamo
Jul 30, 2007
i caught the county d.a. watching my wife dress and shower after several years of him peaking at my teenage daughter from another marriage.
3 days later i had a k-9 unit in my yard without a warrant. since then[8 years] i have been terrorized by the local police.
i’ve received veiled threats through patrol car glass,had my property vandalized,my household pets kidnapped killed and dumped in my lawn,followed everywhere and assaulted by phantom vehicles on the roads at night,pipe bombs thrown in my yard, and had some of my distant neighbors turned against me.
i’ve been to the sbi,atf,fbi,newspapers and others to no avail. the story is the same. i guess they ask the police if they are harassing me and of course they say no he’s a suspected drug dealer and the issue is dropped. no matter what cover up is going on,nothing has been done to help me.
i’m just waiting to be “robbed and shot in my driveway” one night by some crackhead …..with a law enforcement certification.
Sad but true
Jul 30, 2007
Join the club those assholes are the real criminals!!! Be sure to have a gun and good security. A king size dog could do you good. That is what you call GANGSTER cops!! Don’t be a victim, be a defender!! You may have to kill or be killed!! You made it this far so, never again be a victim!!! Got it??? Hell a lot of the cops are drug dealers!! This person has thier FACTS straight!! We have been through it all. Educate others. Thanks for speaking up!!! Thanks to you for running this educational sight!!! They wanted to steal your house most likely for cheap at a police auction, don’t fall for it or let them drive you to a life of crime. They are just pieces of shit anyway, who needs them?? Hell does and don’t you worry Pay back is a bitch so, they will get there’s.
Not even
Jul 30, 2007
Oh and that being robbed shit has got to go!!! Never fall victim, go fast, get a good garage door opener and don’t give them a chance. You are the king of your castle so you better stand proud and defend or those pieces of shit will walk allover you in a grave!!! The answer is FUCK no!! Do they desserve to steal all you have worked for all of your life?? Hell no!!! You have to realize you are #1 and they are just shit!!! Who cares what they say or do, you are the king!!! Don’t let this happen any more!!! No no no!!! Believe in you!!!!! now now now!!! Stun guns are legal and work great on asshole robbers too!!!
Peter
Aug 08, 2007
I can simply add that the government violates the right`s of every tax-payer by trying to get more money out of the hard working men instead of attempting to shorten the expenses. Instead of looking at the expenses they always try to get more out of the working people. The paradoxon is that the tax payers don’t do anything to avoid the government from exploiting them, even though almost everyone is affected by tax increases. I cannot understand that at all.
No bad cops
Aug 11, 2007
We need less crooked cops and we have to do our best to prevent crime. They need to do a better job. I agree. All things are possible. Get the good ones in and out with the bad!!!
Gotta Be Kidding
Sep 03, 2007
Some of you make interesting points. Others sound like downright lunatics (and you wonder why nobody every takes you seriously). If you really wanted people to listen to what you had to say, why would you use the handle “JohnWilkesBooth?” If you want to be taken seriously, then become serious, and stop making fools of yourselves. BTW, not many citizens read pages like this. You have to get a better forum. And at least sound credible.
Rage-ness
Sep 19, 2007
The general nonsense that goes along with being poor has made my childhood especially interesting. It’s amazing how hard it is for a father and his daughter to get assistance(read: just because he’s male, not female) We were treated like dirt by social services. They look at us like we’re scum that is just trying to leech off the system, while I would watch immigrants drive away from their office in brand new cars. They wouldn’t even give us gas vouchers for my dad to look for work. When we finally became homeless because 600$ a month doesn’t do shit for two people to survive off of, My dad asked them what we’re supposed to do to eat. Their solution was to “build a fire to cook over.” I swear to god, I’m not making this up. I sat in the welfare office with a lady while she suggested this to me and my father. The problem is they give the honest people just enough money to keep them in a hole, but not enough to get out of it. But if you just want to cheat, well then, they seem to thing you’re just a poor soul who needs some help..
Like my mother, who kept having children to stay on welfare, and has never worked more than a couple months in her adult life. But alas, everyone knows how fucked up the welfare system is nowadays, what with it being privatized more and more.. And that was in Minnesota, where it’s not actually that bad. Try going to Texas.
Oh, and not to forget California’s insane policy on custody battles.. my mother has been clinically insane since I was very young, and yet they made my father go through a lengthly (over a year) and costly (over 30k!) custody battle to get me, when the woman was clearly nuts! She insisted that she was actually the Queen of England, and that she owned the whole county, and that everyone ought to stop the sham, and give her land back. ??!?! Does anyone else see something wrong with this…? >_
bubba
Oct 13, 2007
This entire country is out of control. It is all about the money in every situation. The only way to beat the crooks is to beat them at their own game. Stop giving them YOUR money and take THEIR power from them. Educate yourself. If you keep waiting for someone to come and hold your hand and protect you and educate you, then you are no better off than the crack whore having babies because she gets more money from the guvment. Accept nothing from the government..no s.s., no welfare, no medicade, no foodstamps…nothing. Become self sufficient and stand up for your god given rights or die. Take a look at and find out the truth about taxes and YOUR legal RIGHTS as a human being. Be free or die trying. Take as many freedom bashers as you can with you if you must.
hank
Oct 13, 2007
child support laws took my life,, no passport,, no drivers lic,, no job,, but ever incresing child support debt,, go figure,, slave in amerikia+++… debeters prision big time,, any body got 50K so i can buy my freedom”’
moxie
Oct 13, 2007
As more and more of us wake up from our institutionalized sleep and realize just how serious the situation is, individuals and groups need to unite so we may collectively stand up against the powers that be. right now we are not working together enmasse. any potential leaders?
John K. Riggs
Oct 13, 2007
Elements of My goverment killed My favorite president and took away My trust in this nation. JFK was priveleged but he was a patriot and a war hero,not a chicken-hockey like dubya. I believe the goons in power now arranged it all. GHWB cannot remember his whereabouts on that fateful day,isnt that the stupidest thing you ever heard? These murderers will face judgement,whether here on earth or in the hereafter,innocent blood is crying out from Central America to Kabul. I want to be there on that glorious day when justice prevails.
Bruce Qualey
Oct 14, 2007
Please name me two things that are not Licensed, Regulated or Taxed?
bubba
Oct 14, 2007
For Bruce…Thought and the your life in the hereafter.
They seem to be scheeming to find a way to get their hands on those as well.
I would love to give my story about my ridiculous run in with our less than human law enfarcement officials, but it makes my blood boil to even think about it and I am afraid that only helps their agenda. I will comment on it at some point though.
I have come to realise in my older years that sometimes things have to get really, really, really bad before they can get better or before the situation implodes in on itself, like WTC 1 & 2, and causes a drastic change. No one seems to be able to recall just how bad the SS was in Germany during Adolph George W. Hitlers’ rule. It was put up with back then much like it is today. At some point, people will get fed up with a society that let’s an uneducated, lower class jackass put a pistol on his hip and all of a sudden have all the authority of God almighty. You are an enemy of anything that goes against HIS (or her) belief, even if that belief might be somewhat skewed.
In regard to 911, we have now killed more of them than they killed of us. Mr. Bush, you keep mentioning GOD in your agenda and how he keeps telling you to “kill all those turrurists, Georgie”. Well, let me ask you something there Georgia Boy. Has GOD ever told ya to just “forgive and forget? It would end all this mess in a matter of seconds.
We need to have a national”be legal day”. Every citizen goes out of their way to not do anything illegal…no speeding, no killing, no raping, no taking stamps of of envelopes…no nothing!!! It would absolutely drive the cops mad!!! Maybe that is a good way to drive them out of business.
We are on the cusp of a major change. I welcome it.
Jon Argust
Oct 22, 2007
I retired at age 48 from the US Postal Service. I was a Postmaster and Postmasters with 25 years or more were offered an early out. Having devoted half my life to the USPS, and not wanting to spend the rest of it fighting a losing battle(more and more work and less and less help- I called it being on the Titanic with a bucket…)I retired. After some time off I applied to the Transportation Stupidity Administration as a screener at Albany NY International Airport. After completely filling out the copious amounts of required paperwork, and submitting to an extensive three month background check I was hired. I completed a two week training session and then worked for 2 days at the checkpoint. The morning of the third day the phone rings, it was the HR guy calling to tell me not to report back to work. It seems that because I was a retired postal worker collecting my monthly retirement, I could not work at TSA.( I found that out on my own later- he admitted at the time that he did’nt know why I could’nt work there) And, oh, we also cannot pay you for your 2 weeks of training and 8 hours of work- you basically worked for free, and oh yeah, just give us a letter of resignation. I asked him if he or any of his bosses in Washington worked for free, he said no. I said that since they screwed up and should have seen this when I first applied but didnt,that they should have not hired me, I said therefore why cant you write me a check out of Albany’s budget. No. They hounded me for 2 months for a letter of resignation, I said when I get paid, you’ll get a letter. I did eventually get paid- $240. for 91 hours work after I wrote my Congressman. He got a response from TSA which basically blamed the whole thing on me.
My wife is also employed by TSA and is currently fighting to keep her job. They are so totally inept it is mind boggling. I could write a book about the mismanagement, cronyism and the bureaucratic power hungry ex law enforcement people who run TSA in Albany. They look the other way when certain people let the test bombs go through the checkpoint, but will terminate someone at the drop of a hat because their xray scores are low. Why are their scores low? Because the supervisors do not follow the schedule and let their buddies get all the exray time. TSA management’s answer to correcting their screw ups is to demand a letter of resignation. Its an atmosphere of managerial incompetence that is fueled by a supply of basically good employees who think they are getting a half way decent “government job”. Sorry if I rambled- I could go on for hours.
jim
Oct 22, 2007
I might have enjoyed going to America – some of the loveliest people in the whole world live there, & I’d like to pay a few of them a visit – but no way in hell do I set foot in a nation whose government uses the Magna Carta for toilet paper.
I think, therefore I’m exiled.
In other words, one less visitor/tourist, & that much less money in your economy.
Now, multiply me by many millions.
Anonymous
Jan 12, 2008
How do we know this website is not authored by the government collecting valuable information and computer addresses. It has never been so easy to post a comment.
Michael Hampton
Jan 12, 2008
There’s no way you could possibly know me and still have to ask such a question. You should read some of the more recent postings, especially if your schedule doesn’t permit you to make the relatively short trip to meet me in person.
At least it’s good that you don’t trust the government. But please don’t accuse me of being one of them. That’s extremely offensive.
Dec 25, 2009
Government employees underworked, overpaid | Homeland Stupidity