The Meaning of Government
From Kevin D. Williamson, by way of Arnold Kling:
If you’re not willing to have somebody hauled off at gunpoint over the project, then it’s probably not a legitimate concern of the state.
It’s always helpful to remember that the citizen’s relationship with government is always coercive. Whereas when citizens legitimately interact with each other, they must rely on reason, persuasion and voluntary exchange.
Unfortunately, a significant proportion of the population does not view public policies proposals with enough skepticism. The appropriate lens with which to gauge proposed increases in government intervention should be how much of the hard-won freedom we must give up in return for a (presumed) benefit (often to a small group of people). For instance, under the PPACA, to insure an additional seven percentage points of the population (getting the uninsured to just under 10%) policymakers are willing to require everyone to have coverage; and require large business to provide coverage.
Any intervention of government necessarily requires giving up some choice to direct our own destiny.
Of course government is coercive. That is the meaning of government
Let’s not forget how the hastily passed, fear mongered, flag waiving Patriot Act has interfered in the lives of good law abiding Americans.
Why do you think the government wants to disarm us.