Ted, I believe in the Social Contract. The basic function of government is to secure the rights and freedoms of every citizen. And freedom in this case is "free speech," not "free beer" or other handouts, and certainly not "freedom FROM something that annoys you" like religion or whatever
Actually, the theory behind the Social Contract is much broader:
"Social contract describes a broad class of theories that try to explain the ways in which people form states to maintain social order. The notion of the social contract implies that the people give up sovereignty to a government or other authority in order to receive or maintain social order through the rule of law. It can also be thought of as an agreement by the governed on a set of rules by which they are governed."
Hence law enforcement and defense are vital to any government, but those functions must secure rights and freedoms, not take away from them. Otherwise you have a police state.
Then why do you support the AZ law?
Beyond that, it's debatable. Most people want government to build infrastructure like roads and set up regulations such as minimum wage, 8 hour work days, etc. That's fine with me. Environmental protection too. There's no other way to ensure that individuals and businesses aren't polluting the environment except via regulation. Disaster recovery would also qualify since it involves security, infrastructure, and environmental protection.
Humans and their societies are more than just about roads and work. There is a social order that must be maintained to insure civility and peace. Ignoring the less fortunate only hurts that social order.
Some hard-core libertarians may disagree, but that's where the debate ought to be. Not over handouts, wealth redistribution, and slush funds that only enrich and empower those with the political connections. People who believe in that just see government as an all-powerful entity that can be used to eliminate poverty and create some sort of utopia on Earth.
There is nothing Utopian about the handouts we provide. They are barely at a subsistence level. Why do you create such drama over this sh*t? |
