Draining the Swamp

[DBTrek]

In Fact, the Government expressly defines the biggest danger to the US being domestic, White Extremism.

Yep. And who else is a #1 enemy?
Rich people.

I see what's going on here.
C-Mag sees what the fuck is going on here.

But man ... two little voices on a forum cannot compete with government and their allies continuously telling you who to fear, and what you need to let them do to "make things right".

[SuburbanFarmer]

Are we conflating ‘government consent’ with ‘responsibility for the actions of the Uber-wealthy’? Like, was the government responsible for the Cuyahoga catching fire, or deaths by fracking poison, or coal mining runoff?

[DBTrek]

Are we conflating ‘government consent’ with ‘responsibility for the actions of the Uber-wealthy’? Like, was the government responsible for the Cuyahoga catching fire, or deaths by fracking poison, or coal mining runoff?

Is the government responsible for mitigating negative externalities affecting the citizenry?
Is that the question?

If so, protection of "the commons", or prohibiting businesses from forcing unwilling participants to bear the costs of their production is indeed one of the few legitimate uses of government.

(That's a pretty far cry from "hunt down everyone who has over $X, and seize their money when they die" tho)

[Martin Hash]

Dude, you keep implying you want to live in an aristocracy: we get it already. Your king will protect you when the pitchforks come.

[DBTrek]

Dude, you keep implying you want to live in an aristocracy: we get it already. Your king will protect you when the pitchforks come.

You're the one who actually wants to live under an aristocracy.
You may recall that peasants were not allowed to hand wealth down to their kids ... or even accumulate any appreciable wealth.
The Aristocratic government had a headlock on people's wealth.
Much like you advocate for here.
All you need is a king to carry out your will.
/shrug

[Martin Hash]

Marxism is authoritarianism by public elites.
Fascism is authoritarianism by private elites.
Libertyists have no elites.

Hanny’s a Fascist.
Monty’s a Commie.

[DBTrek]

Marxism is authoritarianism by public elites.

Yep.
So, at least you know what you're advocating.
/shrug

[Martin Hash]

Marxism is authoritarianism by public elites.

Yep.
So, at least you know what you're advocating.
/shrug

I do.

[C-Mag]

Are we conflating ‘government consent’ with ‘responsibility for the actions of the Uber-wealthy’? Like, was the government responsible for the Cuyahoga catching fire, or deaths by fracking poison, or coal mining runoff?

Which Cuyahoga River Fire are you talking about ? 1868, 1883, 1887, 1912, 1922, 1936, 1941, 1948, 1952, or 1969.

Cleveland welcomed big industries into it's city and continuously gave them business licenses, knowing full well they were polluting the Cuyahoga. Big names like American Ship Building, Sherwin-Williams Paint Company, Republic Steel and Standard Oil. The government of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the State of Ohio just took the tax dollars and did nothing about river fires for a century. No doubt the politicians of Ohio were well paid by the likes of Rockefeller to allow them to keep dumping into the Cuyahoga.

The modern telling of the Cuyahoga is how the Federal Government saved us all with the EPA. But ignores a century of the government doing nothing. The government will only act when they are threatened politically and the payoffs no longer pencil out.

[Martin Hash]

Marxism: forced equality.
Fascism: forced inequality.
Libertyists: inequality due to personal autonomy.