'Our' Collective Goodness in the Tsunami Disaster by Jacob G. Hornberger

Jacob Hornberger writes:

"In the 20th century, 'we' embraced a collectivized system in which 'we' nationalized everyone’s income and then made the government 'our' agent for 'our' goodness, compassion, and caring. The system that 'we' adopted functions like this:

"'We' authorize the Congress that 'we' elect to take any portion of 'our' income it wants, as long as the percentage is set in a democratic (i.e., majority-vote) fashion. Once that portion or percentage is democratically set, the Internal Revenue Service is authorized to use force to collect the assigned take from everyone. The IRS then delivers the take to other government agencies, which then distribute the take to the poor and needy of the world. Voila! 'We' are caring, compassionate, and good … well, as long as 'our' government officials and agencies are caring, compassionate, and good. If they are 'stingy,' then 'we' are stingy.

"That’s in fact the underlying collectivized 'moral' basis for the entire welfare-warfare system that 'we' brought into existence in the 20th century. That’s why 'we' are good in Iraq –because the IRS delivered a portion of the take to the Pentagon, which then used the money to invade Iraq to bring 'democracy and liberation' to the Iraqi people, all on the orders of the president, who is of course democratically elected by 'us.' Voila! Through the collective, joint efforts of the IRS and the Pentagon (well, and the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve also) and the president, 'we' are good people for what 'we' are doing in Iraq...

"What about our American ancestors? You know, those Americans who for more than 100 years rejected income taxation, Social Security, welfare, foreign aid, and foreign wars of 'democracy and liberation.' You know, our ancestors who believed that freedom entailed a person’s keeping everything he earns and having the right to decide what to do with it without government interference – spend, donate, invest, hoard, or whatever. You know, our ancestors who had the right to accumulate unlimited amounts of wealth and, without being forced to care for others, brought into existence the most charitable society in history. You know, our ancestors who believed that charity, compassion, and caring meant nothing unless it came from the voluntary heart of an individual, as compared to the collectivized force of majority vote...

'Our' Collective Goodness in the Tsunami Disaster by Jacob G. Hornberger