“Now this power… have no other end or measure, when in the hands of the magistrate, but to preserve the members of that society in their lives, liberties, and possessions, and so cannot be an absolute, arbitrary power over their lives and fortunes, which are as much as possible to be preserved; but a power to make laws, and annex such penalties to them as may tend to the preservation of the whole, by cutting off those parts, and those only, which are so corrupt that they threaten the sound and healthy, without which no severity is lawful.”-John Locke, Two Treatises on Government
“The sovereign, as undertaker of the duty of the people, has the right to tax them for purposes essentially connected with their own preservation. Such are, in particular, the relief of the poor, foundling asylums, and ecclesiastical establishments, otherwise designated charitable or pious foundations. 1. The people have in fact united themselves by their common will into a society, which has to be perpetually maintained; and for this purpose they have subjected themselves to the internal power of the state, in order to preserve the members of this society even when they are not able to support themselves.”-Immanuel Kant, The Science of Right
“Right and authorization to use coercion therefore mean one and the same thing…unless one wants to renounce any concepts of right, the first thing it has to resolve upon is the principle that it must leave the state of nature, in which each follows its own judgment, unite itself with all others … subject itself to a public lawful external coercion, and to enter into a condition in which what is to be recognized as belonging to it is determined by law and is allotted to it by adequate power (not its own but an external power); that is, it ought above all else to enter a civil condition.”-ibid
Not really, no. I think if you advocate higher taxes, you should have the balls to call it what it is. I don’t see any particular reason to bash Hillary for calling a spade a spade, but neither do I see much point in pretending she really called it an earthworks engineering facilitator.
I think it’s interesting how much revulsion those who do not agree with von Mises tend to have toward him. I can see a lot of sense in what he says, but I basically do not agree with some other things.
“The program of liberalism, therefore, if condensed into a single word, would have to read: property, that is, private ownership of the means of production… All the other demands of liberalism result from his fundamental demand.” — Ludwig von Mises, Liberalism in the Classical Tradition
Do you mean to tell me that these people do not recognize the primacy of private property as the very touchstone of civilization? Perish the thought! When a 2 year old seizes a toy firetruck and shrieks “MINE!”, he has made the first halting step to the fullness of his humanity! Sure, there are other rights, but they are not central, not essential, they are embellishments set about the crown jewel of private property, for no better purpose than to enhance its lustre.
Universal Health Care is (one of) my diversions from Liberal’s philosophy. I think people should be responsible for their own decisions, and, so far as their actions do not cause harm to others, should be let make those decisions (as long as they are competent and informed adults.) I am not anti-taxes, however, as I want those to fund things like roads, daycares and that Universal Health Care thingy - things that are cheaper in great scale or require very large scale logistics. I don’t want to go back to depending on Joe Smith to keep his section of highway drivable. OTOH, I’m pro-legalization of all substances and activities among any number of consenting adults - recreational, sexual, marriage or otherwise.
And much of the time, moreso than others it appears, I agree with what **Liberal **has to say in most threads, at least philosophically. I might think that it would fall down in reality, but I like the theory. I’ve never felt comfortable with the current Liberal/Conservative or Democrat/Republican currents; Liberal’s is the closest to mine that I’ve seen, whatever you want to call it.
Well knowing you, Hillary could say she was going to donate all her money to you personally then offer to blow you, and you would still think she is a liberal bitch.
