Steal from Peter; Give to Paul

Here’s a great section from The 5000 Year Leap: “Every person is entitled to protection of his life and property. Therefore it is perfectly legitimate to delegate to the government the task of setting up a police force to protect the lives and property of all the people. But suppose a kindhearted man saw that one of his neighbors had two cars, while another neighbor had none. What would happen if, in a spirit of benevolence, the kind man went over and took one of the cars from his prosperous neighbor and generously gave it to the neighbor in need? Obviously he would be arrested for car theft. No matter what his intentions, he is guilty of flagrantly the natural rights of his prosperous neighbor, who is entitled to be protected in his property. Of course, the two-car neighbor could donate a car to his poor neighbor if he liked, but that is his decision, and not the prerogative of the kind-hearted neighbor, who wants to play Robin Hood.”

Skousen goes on to compare our government to the kind-hearted neighbor. When the prosperous neighbor (and who decides what is considered “prosperous”?) loses his car because of the government’s action, he is doubly assaulted, because now the theft is legalized, and he loses his ability to appeal the theft in court—because that theft is legal.

Consider: why do you have a driver’s license? Seriously, now. What right does the government have to demand you have a little card that says you can drive. And what right does the government have to force you to pay for the privilege of owning that little card? If you had your way, would you go to the DMV, stand in line, have your picture taken, and wait for that little card to be laminated—all so you have the privilege of transporting you, your family, and you dog from one place to another? And if you had your way, would you pay for it?

Consider the Israelites, who gave p their rights to their property when they clamored for a king. Every Israelite suffered from the burden the king laid upon his people. And it is the same for us. Our administration claims it has not raised taxes, when in fact it has:

From an April 2009 post on National Review’s website:

“The largest increase in tobacco taxes took effect despite [the administration’s] promise not to raise taxes of any kind on families earning under $250,000 or individuals under $200,000. This is one tax that disproportionately affects the poor, who are more likely to smoke than the rich. To be sure, Obama’s tax promises in last year’s campaign were most often made in the context of income taxes. Not always. “I can make a firm pledge,” he said in Dover, N.H., on Sept. 12, 2008. “Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.” He repeatedly vowed “you will not see any of your taxes increase one single dime.” Now in office, Obama, who stopped smoking but has admitted he slips now and then, signed a law raising the tobacco tax nearly 62 cents on a pack of cigarettes, to $1.01. Other tobacco products saw similarly steep increases.”

When government takes views itself as Robin Hood, no one (including your car and your hard-earned money, and your future) is safe.

The problem for the kind-hearted neighbor is this: what happens when the government comes to confiscate his property in the name of the common good? Of course, the neighbor will screech about his right to his property, but once the right to private property is given away to the government, the government won’t give it back.

What else will they take before you’ve had enough, and punch Robin Hood in the mouth?