The Whole of Man

While reading a post to Free Citizen, a blog operated by Steve Rankin, I ran across a sentence that gave me pause. It wasn't even the complete sentence, but it was profound, none the less.

Freedom should never be confused with license.

I have long wanted to explore the subject that all too often we do things in life by benefit of license, rather than by right of freedom. We have to be permitted before we can act, lest we reap punitive damages assessed by the state. How is it possible to live in the freest country in the world, and yet live under so much regulation, license or permit? It has gotten to the point that one can hardly conduct their private affairs without needing to obtain some form of license or permit from the state. Why should this be necessary? Do we not have a right to live our lives without the constant intrusion from the state?

 

Also, I've wanted to look at the subject of taxation and how the 16th Amendment somehow allows the government to claim a portion of what is wholly ours. In a most basic example, let us create a scenario where we have two men that have decided to make an exchange of property. The first man has an apple pie and a need for a hole to be dug; the second man has a shovel, a strong back, and a bizarre desire for apple pie. The first man asks the second if he can exchange the apple pie for a hole. The second man agrees that he would be willing to make the trade. Now, I ask you: Exactly at what point in our transaction example does the government get to levy a tax on the exchange of the hole for the apple pie?

 

I'll leave these subjects for now, as I need more time to ponder them before I can discuss them further. However, if any of you want to comment, I would be interested to hear from you.