Who Owns You?

Butler Shaffer explores the slave mentality in this wonderfully profound article.

As I read this, I am constantly asking myself if this is the ideals that our Founding Fathers had in mind as they battled the British for the independence of the colonies. Did the framers of our Constitution wish to empower the central Federal government the ability to effectively enslave the population?

Slavery by taxation is by far the cruelest form of slavery. Taxation astronomically increases the amount of effort required to earn enough income to not only live, but actually improve one's standard of living. The rags-to-riches American dream is systematically being undermined and destroyed by America's elected representatives and the bloated bureaucracy which they have created and empowered with OUR money.

An ever-increasing percentage of the population is employed by and seeking employment of government institutions. The funding for these jobs, whether they are needed or not, comes from taxpayer dollars. YOUR DOLLARS. All government employees are essentially YOUR employees. Their job is to serve YOU. Have you been to the DMV lately?

In reality, you, a taxpaying citizen, are a slave to the whims of government employees. You are, in most cases, subject and victim to their whims, desires, bad hair days, poorly designed policies and procedures, incompetence, etc. Generally, you avoid dealing with government employees unless you are compelled to do so by law. The law guarantees these jobs, and taxation funds them.

I support all petitions to eliminate taxation by any government entity. I support consistent application and defense of property rights. I support unconditional and unlimited rights of secession. It is these fundamental principles, and ONLY these which guarantee our rights to life, liberty, and pursuits of happiness.