Received-SPF: pass (Last token {ip4:208.75.120.0/22} (res=PASS)) client-ip=208.75.123.133; envelope-from=; x-ip-name=ccm25.constantcontact.com Received: from ccm25.constantcontact.com (unverified [208.75.123.133]) by skynetbb.com (SurgeMail 5.2a) with ESMTP id 58905671-1839687 for ; Wed, 29 Jun 2011 06:19:24 -0700 Return-Path: X-Verify-SMTP: Host 208.75.123.133 sending to us was not listening Received: from p2-jb502.ad.prodcc.net (p2-pen4.ad.prodcc.net [10.252.0.104]) by ccm25.constantcontact.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6175F496DE1 for ; Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:19:16 -0400 (EDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; q=dns/txt; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; s=1000073432; d=auth.ccsend.com; h=to:subject:mime-version:message-id:from:date:list-unsubscribe:reply-to; bh=rmnbaRxuyJ3zl+u2q924MS8BG5EDxzOtVqjH2e8shEc=; b=B7rWCIFqvQ4dc6HpxUObK7Zds54iGPZCkbxKTDzsjOqUeIuPGh7iH35HOZ3SJ2JqG5EBHdLN5ImqSoQT8SJkVUcoYCgcNwFn7CxBF+93DG2XZ49XOmLoZkwLqxkqBflr14u4e8KxKjlupoM/RmmFYDeA9wcY7EeyrpaYDbHLAdA= Message-ID: <1106293451172.1103180195531.4955.2.9091502@scheduler> Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:19:16 -0400 (EDT) From: Common Sense Reply-To: commonsense@citizensincharge.org To: propertyrightspeople@skynetbb.com Subject: Continental Divide (Paul Jacob on the major issue of the day) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_66951382_151200084.1309353556386" X-Mailer: Roving Constant Contact 2009 (http://www.constantcontact.com) List-Unsubscribe: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=001f3-uRxL1UByYNqe_e1JbbhrjSssXTHS-&t=001SfgUdwaYqF1r8dW-I0UwlA%3D%3D&llr=lwztkndab X-Return-Path-Hint: ESC1106293451172_1103180195531_4955_r20@in.constantcontact.com X-Roving-ID: 1103180195531.4955 X-Lumos-SenderID: 1103180195531 X-Roving-CampaignId: 1106293451172 X-Roving-StreamId: 0 X-ORBS-Accept: dnswl_none X-Rcpt-To: X-SpamDetect: : 0.0 sd=0.0 [105]12%-6.1(Accept Orbs) [76]13%-5.7(X-Verify-SMTP presen) [139]16%-4.4(from_return_nomatch) [26]19%-3.2(AContent4) [35]56%0.0(X-LangGuess:English) [sig=4] X-LangGuess: English X-Probe: +OK nothing bad found X-Avast: Message is clean ------=_Part_66951382_151200084.1309353556386 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit June 29, 2011 Continental Divide Today's ideological impasse is not well understood. To be a modern "liberal" or "progressive" means generally to favor governmental ways of accomplishing things over private ways, especially over voluntary economic transactions. Programs such as Arizona's "Clean Elections" law, discussed yesterday -- like similar ideas elsewhere -- are designed to make "things better" by preventing certain types of voluntary behavior and distributing taxpayer money (forcefully extracted money, mind you) to people who play by certain established rules. This seems like "justice" and "fairness" to progressives. It seems more like tyranny and bullying and grand theft to me. The biggest division -- the ideological analog of a continental divide -- may be the very picture we have of government. Whatever good intent there is, I see government as Force Institutionalized. So, of course I want it limited, by constitutions and whatnot, its scope reduced so that voluntary (non-governmental) interactions can take center stage in our social life. I believe that paper constitutions are not enough, though, and that government must be checked by Joe and Jill Citizen, who have to live under it, pay taxes to support it, and in good conscience assent (or at least adapt) to its presence in their lives. Progressives prefer not to look at the "naked force" aspect of government, and see only what they think it can do "for us." I worry what it will do "to us." As Tom Paine once wrote, "It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from his government." This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob. http://thisiscommonsense.com/?p=6461 http://thisiscommonsense.com/pdf/CS2883.pdf This email was sent to propertyrightspeople@skynetbb.com by commonsense@citizensincharge.org. Update Profile/Email Address http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&mse=001f3-uRxL1UByYNqe_e1JbbhrjSssXTHS-&t=001SfgUdwaYqF1r8dW-I0UwlA%3D%3D&l=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&llr=lwztkndab Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe(TM) http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=001f3-uRxL1UByYNqe_e1JbbhrjSssXTHS-&t=001SfgUdwaYqF1r8dW-I0UwlA%3D%3D&l=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&llr=lwztkndab Privacy Policy: http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp Online Marketing by Constant Contact(R) www.constantcontact.com Citizens in Charge Foundation | 2050 Old Bridge Road | Suite 103 | Lake Ridge | VA | 22192 ------=_Part_66951382_151200084.1309353556386 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 3D" =09 =09=09 =09 =09 =09=09 =09=09 =09 =09 =09=09 =09
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June 29, 2011

Continen= tal Divide

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Today's ideological impasse is not well understood.

To be a modern "liberal" or "progressive" means generally to favor governme= ntal ways of accomplishing things over private ways, especially over volunt= ary economic transactions.

Programs such as Arizona's "Clean Elections" law, discussed yesterda= y -- like similar ideas elsewhere -- are designed to make "things bett= er" by preventing certain types of voluntary behavior and distributing taxp= ayer money (forcefully extracted money, mind you) to people who play by cer= tain established rules.

This seems like "justice" and "fairness" to progressives. It seems more lik= e tyranny and bullying and grand theft to me.

The biggest division -- the ideological analog of a continental divide -- m= ay be the very picture we have of government. Whatever good intent there is= , I see government as Force Institutionalized. So, of course I want it limi= ted, by constitutions and whatnot, its scope reduced so that voluntary (non= -governmental) interactions can take center stage in our social life.

I believe that paper constitutions are not enough, though, and that governm= ent must be checked by Joe and Jill Citizen, who have to live under it, pay= taxes to support it, and in good conscience assent (or at least adapt) to = its presence in their lives.

Progressives prefer not to look at the "naked force" aspect of government, = and see only what they think it can do "for us." I worry what it will do "<= em>to us." As Tom Paine once wrote, "It is the duty of the patriot to = protect his country from his government."

This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.

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Paul Jacob is President= of Citizens in Charge and Citizens in Charge Foundation, which sponsors both Common Sense and Paul's weekly Townhall Column. The opinions expressed in = Common Sense are Paul Jacob's and do not necessarily reflect the opinions o= f Citizens in Charge or Citizens in Charge Foundation.

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This email was sent to propertyrightspeople@skynetbb.c= om by commonsense@citizensincharge.org Upd= ate Profile/Email Address | Ins= tant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy.

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