Guest NateC Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 So I was watching The Daily Show (I'm not proud), and Stewart commented on Boehner's statement, "How much more money do we want to steal from the American people to fund more government? I’m for: NO more.” with Stewart saying that taxation is not theft because it's in the Constitution. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that a smart guy like Stewart is totally blind to the truth behind a simple statement. The "social contract" is Stewart's God.
lyghtningrod Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 So I was watching The Daily Show (I'm not proud), and Stewart commented on Boehner's statement, "How much more money do we want to steal from the American people to fund more government? I’m for: NO more.” with Stewart saying that taxation is not theft because it's in the Constitution. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that a smart guy like Stewart is totally blind to the truth behind a simple statement. The "social contract" is Stewart's God. as well say "Involuntary servitude is not slavery because it's in the constitution" The Constitution had to be amended (16th) to arrive at his formula of 'it's in the Constitution.' So we can equally say that slavery was OK until Congress said it wasn't. Hmmmm... I think smart people are just that much better at coming up with justifications for what they want to believe anyway. And I think Stewart is blind to principles. "If the powers that be say it's OK, it's OK." I've noted that progressives seem not to understand that the Constitution had a philosophical basis, it wasn't just random words thrown on a page. Stewart doesn't seem to inderstand the philosophical underpinnings. He is basically equating a head tax (all pay the same) to an income tax and saying they are morally equal. The head tax can be justified as equitable, as all men are equal and have equal obligations, while the income tax says "All men are different before the law." The implications are staggeringly different.
Guest NateC Posted March 22, 2013 Posted March 22, 2013 Agreed. And of course, even if the head tax is equitable, it'd still be immoral in its enforcement.
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