The following was sent to me by a coworker after an early morning discussion in which I argued that for our gov’t/society to function taxes are a necessary evil. I didn’t say that I thought the current tax system was perfect or fair. I said A tax system was needed to keep certain organizations and programs going. You know, for things that might not be hot button topics of the moment that most people wouldn’t know about but that are still important. Anyway, get ready for a ride……

“A "species of oppression" that would be "unlike anything that ever before
existed in the world," a rule by "guardians" rather than tyrants.

"That power is absolute, minute, regular, provident, and mild. It would
be like the authority of a parent if, like that authority, it's object was
to prepare men for manhood; but it seeks, on the contrary, to keep them
in perpetual childhood... For their happiness such a government willingly
labors, but it chooses to be the sole agent and the only arbiter of that
happiness; it provides for their security, foresees and supplies their
necessities, facilitates their pleasures, manages their principal
concerns, directs their industry, regulates the descent of property, and
subdivides their inheritances: what remains, but to spare them all the
care of thinking and all the trouble of living?
Thus it every day renders the exercise of the free agency of man
less useful and less frequent; it circumscribes the will within a narrower
range and gradually robs a man of all the uses of himself. The principle
of equality has prepared men for these things; it has predisposed men to
endure them and often to look at them as benefits."

Tocqueville clearly foresaw the diminution of the human spirit that would
attend such expansion of government. Government would first bind people
up in rules:

"It covers the surface of a society with a network of small complicated
rules, minute and uniform, through which the most original minds and the
most energetic characters cannot penetrate, to rise above the crowd. The
will of man is not shattered, but softened, bent, and guided; men are
seldom forced by it to act, but they are constantly restrained from
acting. Such a power does not destroy, but it prevents existence; it does
not tyrannize, but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a
people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of
timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.
I have always thought that the servitude of the regular, quiet, and
gentle kind which I have just describes might be combined more easily than
is commonly believed with some of the outward forms of freedom, and that
it might even establish itself under the wing of the sovereignty of the
people."


---[The next part was my coworker’s own words]
---Over a 170 years ago he described what we are dealing with today. Many
people in America are very happy with the way the government takes care of
us. They think it is ok to give a third of their money to the government.
I know, I've met them. Our runaway government has raised our society to
accept it, now we must learn how to change it. Otherwise, they have
already won.

Check out the book "Dependent on DC" and forward this e-mail!”

Ok, I found the next militia member ;)

In other somewhat related news I’ve decided to start playing paintball again. The weather is perfect for it right now. So, as soon as my new helmet and gun arrive I will out on the speedball course. FUN FUN FUN!! Nothing like hunting your fellow man for sport ;p If any of you are interested in playing some weekend let me know.

The rumor mill is working overtime this week. One of two things could happened tomorrow: 1) My team will be laid off or 2) Nothing. Oh well, all aboard the coaster one more time. Part of me would LOVE to finish this project but the other part is sick of the whole damn thing :) I’ll keep you all updated as information comes in.

Night!