Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihldt.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!mhuxn!houxm!ihnp4!ihldt!stewart From: stewart@ihldt.UUCP (R. J. Stewart) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Taxes vs. Freedom Message-ID: <2632@ihldt.UUCP> Date: Wed, 5-Dec-84 11:15:59 EST Article-I.D.: ihldt.2632 Posted: Wed Dec 5 11:15:59 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 6-Dec-84 05:14:23 EST References: <2631@ihldt.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 27 Recently someone posted an article that essentially claimed (from memory, but essentially correct): "The U.S. government does not lessen your freedom since, despite taking about 25% of your income, it does not limit where you can go, what you can say, etc." In re-reading an article I posted, I recognized a counter-example to this. The situation is: > My wife and I have not had children, in large > part because we don't think we can afford them. Please tell me at > what point I incurred an obligation to pay for other people's > children? By taxing me [in large amounts, by the way] to pay for the education of children of other people, the government* has adversely affected my decision on having my own children. Ironic, no? Anyway, since this is one of the most important decisions I'll ever make, I claim that my freedom has been (substantially) lessened. Bob Stewart ihldt!stewart *to be precise in this context, the word "government" should be read: "the special interest groups that control the actions of the government".