As they say, follow the money. If all your proposals were implemented it would, in effect, make our governments and institutions far less corrupt and the world would be better for it. I hope your readers share your work, it is truly monumental. Thank you.
Adam, this news should be broadcasted on PBS and every news media throughout our nation. You and Rand Paul are two of the most fiscally responsible voices we have. Thanks for you sanity and screams. The waste is so disgusting and “Taxation Without Representation ” is echoing in my head. Maybe Thoreau was right: We all need to stop paying this glutted and wasteful government? Maybe without our funds they will learn the value of our work and a dollar.
Great article. This is nothing new. Here is the summary dashboard for all of this: www.usdebtclock.org. I've been following it for over 10 years. It was obvious what was happening. It's called statism. The country has been hijacked by a form of mob called politicians and the deep state. Nothing will change this other than maybe another financial disaster which is coming... but no one can predict the timing. We are past the point of no return. Too many sheeple in the country rely on the government so they won't vote against it. Many are enslaved by the system. It's incredible but we are just repeating history. Similar fate happened to the Romans. Government is not our friend.
All actions of the state are aggression. Period. This is not debatable as the state is financed entirely by aggression / coercion (try not paying your taxes and see what happens). No actions in free markets are aggression, as they are all voluntary. Instituting an aggressive state as desirable and accepted, even encouraged, is irrational. Why would you want an aggressive group of people that have powers you / we don't have? The typical rebuttal here is that aggression and violence will exist in a peaceful society with no state. This is true. I don't argue with this. In this case, defensive force is the only force that people should accept as legitimate. There is no need to assume that people need to be perfect for anarchy.
In fact, it’s the height of irrationality to believe that anarchy requires that people are angels, and then resolving this problem by forcibly placing those same non-angels in control of the lives of all or a majority of the people. Anyone who argues that statelessness leads to violence is self-defeating if the solution is to establish the state. The state is by its very nature, violence.
IF MEN WERE ANGELS: THE BASIC ANALYTICS OF THE STATE VERSUS SELF-GOVERNMENT
The state is 100% offensive force (aggression). You cannot have a non-aggression state. Existence of the current system is still insufficient to justify it. Making decisions based on some arbitrary criteria unsanctioned by some arbitrary group of people (no matter how large or small that group is) is a crime.
Monarchy is the rule of one man over all others. Democracy, republicanism, socialism, communism, fascism, marxism, etc. are the rule of groups of people over others in various forms. The only rule that is consistent with liberty is the rule of every person over himself. Before the American Revolution, monarchy was predominant. It seemed unbelievable that it could change. But it did. Democracy and republicanism are not the end; it's just better than what came before. Too many people don't take hundreds of years of history into account. Unfortunately, it's going to take time to get to improve on democracy toward anarchism, but it’s helpful to understand right and wrong.
Our current government is a group of people who rule by violence (they fine you or throw you in jail for not following their rules). There is no system more violent or costly than the state. We don't pay our taxes because we want to. We are coerced by the repercussions of not paying the taxes. It's no different than another group extorting protection money from you. It's violence just like the mob, but dressed up with propaganda saying it's all in your best interest. It's irrational to support an aggressive state.
Here is how I think of voting in a democracy: it's hiding a desire to rule over others. If my candidate wins, we rule over you. If your candidate wins, you rule over us.
Democracy is illegitimate without consent. Explicit dissent always overrides implied consent. So I don't vote anymore. Voting is validating and acknowledging aggression.
The fact that a majority of the people who vote can have their way with you doesn’t mean they are acting on your behalf – they are not. They are always acting in violent opposition to our wishes, and those of a great many people - likely all people at least some of the time. The state doesn’t lead to violence; the state is the manifestation of institutionalized violence / aggression.
In other words, democracy is a cover for the aggression, not a justification.
Most people fail to see the state as a group of people perpetrating an aggression and instead see it as an equalizer or judge for others. That is of course a nonsensical interpretation of the state. The state monopolizes aggression, otherwise it can't tax. If it can't tax, it can't exist. Note the state monopolizes the prisons, police, army and currency (the Fed is the ultimate monopoly power). Hmmmm... who has all the power?
The state as a whole perpetuates itself (no matter what the size). It is not ignorant of this fact. It is aggressive and violent, it purposefully teaches compliance, it purposefully promotes the state against the interests of free people, it purposefully steals from people to pay for it, it purposefully compels people to participate in it, and purposefully breeds ignorance of anything that would cause people to question it. The degree to which each participant is aware of this varies. Most don't see it because they are taught from kindergarten to accept it.
So what do we do without the state? Whatever society wants, and can afford, it can and will provide if left to its own devices. There can be no actual improvement over this optimal truism. Politics (which only exists because of the state) intrudes on this naturally optimal state by the introduction of aggression. There is plenty of evidence on any front that a free people make reasonable tradeoffs to achieve what they want (the only reasonable definition of social good). An example in the case of medical care is here: https://mises.org/library/welfare-welfare-state.
I find people's enduring faith in democracy to be illogical and even amusing. Democracies have produced all modern wars and brutal regimes (recall that socialist regimes are also democracies - they vote), murdering more people than any old monarchy could have contemplated. See this link for data: https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/NOTE1.HTM
Most people don't know or remember that Hitler was voted into his position. But Hitler was not the core problem. It was all those people who CONSENTED to his leadership. Very few people in Germany at the time stood up to the evil. He brainwashed an entire nation but it required the consent of the majority. Hitler would have had no power without any followers.
Thomas Jefferson is arguably one of the most important people in American history. Perhaps most important was when he put down these 55 words in the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Wow, this is shocking. You have done all the work for them, they just need to take up the cause. Senators and Congress people who do probably won't get reelected, but they will be doing a great service to their country.
Unfortunately, we have a ‘Hollywood movie set’ version of a government (and every other institution). It’s an impressive facade which makes it look real, but if one peeks behind the the wall, they’ll find it’s hollow and missing the parts which would be needed for it to function properly
As they say, follow the money. If all your proposals were implemented it would, in effect, make our governments and institutions far less corrupt and the world would be better for it. I hope your readers share your work, it is truly monumental. Thank you.
Adam, this news should be broadcasted on PBS and every news media throughout our nation. You and Rand Paul are two of the most fiscally responsible voices we have. Thanks for you sanity and screams. The waste is so disgusting and “Taxation Without Representation ” is echoing in my head. Maybe Thoreau was right: We all need to stop paying this glutted and wasteful government? Maybe without our funds they will learn the value of our work and a dollar.
Great article. This is nothing new. Here is the summary dashboard for all of this: www.usdebtclock.org. I've been following it for over 10 years. It was obvious what was happening. It's called statism. The country has been hijacked by a form of mob called politicians and the deep state. Nothing will change this other than maybe another financial disaster which is coming... but no one can predict the timing. We are past the point of no return. Too many sheeple in the country rely on the government so they won't vote against it. Many are enslaved by the system. It's incredible but we are just repeating history. Similar fate happened to the Romans. Government is not our friend.
All actions of the state are aggression. Period. This is not debatable as the state is financed entirely by aggression / coercion (try not paying your taxes and see what happens). No actions in free markets are aggression, as they are all voluntary. Instituting an aggressive state as desirable and accepted, even encouraged, is irrational. Why would you want an aggressive group of people that have powers you / we don't have? The typical rebuttal here is that aggression and violence will exist in a peaceful society with no state. This is true. I don't argue with this. In this case, defensive force is the only force that people should accept as legitimate. There is no need to assume that people need to be perfect for anarchy.
In fact, it’s the height of irrationality to believe that anarchy requires that people are angels, and then resolving this problem by forcibly placing those same non-angels in control of the lives of all or a majority of the people. Anyone who argues that statelessness leads to violence is self-defeating if the solution is to establish the state. The state is by its very nature, violence.
IF MEN WERE ANGELS: THE BASIC ANALYTICS OF THE STATE VERSUS SELF-GOVERNMENT
https://cdn.mises.org/21_4_7.pdf
The state is 100% offensive force (aggression). You cannot have a non-aggression state. Existence of the current system is still insufficient to justify it. Making decisions based on some arbitrary criteria unsanctioned by some arbitrary group of people (no matter how large or small that group is) is a crime.
Monarchy is the rule of one man over all others. Democracy, republicanism, socialism, communism, fascism, marxism, etc. are the rule of groups of people over others in various forms. The only rule that is consistent with liberty is the rule of every person over himself. Before the American Revolution, monarchy was predominant. It seemed unbelievable that it could change. But it did. Democracy and republicanism are not the end; it's just better than what came before. Too many people don't take hundreds of years of history into account. Unfortunately, it's going to take time to get to improve on democracy toward anarchism, but it’s helpful to understand right and wrong.
Our current government is a group of people who rule by violence (they fine you or throw you in jail for not following their rules). There is no system more violent or costly than the state. We don't pay our taxes because we want to. We are coerced by the repercussions of not paying the taxes. It's no different than another group extorting protection money from you. It's violence just like the mob, but dressed up with propaganda saying it's all in your best interest. It's irrational to support an aggressive state.
Here is how I think of voting in a democracy: it's hiding a desire to rule over others. If my candidate wins, we rule over you. If your candidate wins, you rule over us.
Democracy is illegitimate without consent. Explicit dissent always overrides implied consent. So I don't vote anymore. Voting is validating and acknowledging aggression.
The fact that a majority of the people who vote can have their way with you doesn’t mean they are acting on your behalf – they are not. They are always acting in violent opposition to our wishes, and those of a great many people - likely all people at least some of the time. The state doesn’t lead to violence; the state is the manifestation of institutionalized violence / aggression.
In other words, democracy is a cover for the aggression, not a justification.
Most people fail to see the state as a group of people perpetrating an aggression and instead see it as an equalizer or judge for others. That is of course a nonsensical interpretation of the state. The state monopolizes aggression, otherwise it can't tax. If it can't tax, it can't exist. Note the state monopolizes the prisons, police, army and currency (the Fed is the ultimate monopoly power). Hmmmm... who has all the power?
The state as a whole perpetuates itself (no matter what the size). It is not ignorant of this fact. It is aggressive and violent, it purposefully teaches compliance, it purposefully promotes the state against the interests of free people, it purposefully steals from people to pay for it, it purposefully compels people to participate in it, and purposefully breeds ignorance of anything that would cause people to question it. The degree to which each participant is aware of this varies. Most don't see it because they are taught from kindergarten to accept it.
So what do we do without the state? Whatever society wants, and can afford, it can and will provide if left to its own devices. There can be no actual improvement over this optimal truism. Politics (which only exists because of the state) intrudes on this naturally optimal state by the introduction of aggression. There is plenty of evidence on any front that a free people make reasonable tradeoffs to achieve what they want (the only reasonable definition of social good). An example in the case of medical care is here: https://mises.org/library/welfare-welfare-state.
I find people's enduring faith in democracy to be illogical and even amusing. Democracies have produced all modern wars and brutal regimes (recall that socialist regimes are also democracies - they vote), murdering more people than any old monarchy could have contemplated. See this link for data: https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/NOTE1.HTM
Most people don't know or remember that Hitler was voted into his position. But Hitler was not the core problem. It was all those people who CONSENTED to his leadership. Very few people in Germany at the time stood up to the evil. He brainwashed an entire nation but it required the consent of the majority. Hitler would have had no power without any followers.
Thomas Jefferson is arguably one of the most important people in American history. Perhaps most important was when he put down these 55 words in the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Wow, this is shocking. You have done all the work for them, they just need to take up the cause. Senators and Congress people who do probably won't get reelected, but they will be doing a great service to their country.
Years ago, Ron Paul described our foreign policy as "If you do what we want, we give you money. If you don't, we bomb you."
This is that policy brought home. If they flood the 'approved' people with cash, the 'non-approved' fall further and further behind.
Shared. You are over the target big time. It's got to be done to put these technocratic Apparatchiks out of a job permanently.
Wouldn’t that be nice!
Unfortunately, we have a ‘Hollywood movie set’ version of a government (and every other institution). It’s an impressive facade which makes it look real, but if one peeks behind the the wall, they’ll find it’s hollow and missing the parts which would be needed for it to function properly
Fauci & many belong in prison for the evil they have committed.
Millions injured or killed & they are still pushing people to take their poison???
They have no morals whatsoever!
Satanthony Fauci made millions killing and injuring the world with his Flubah scamdemic Harmacide.
His brother satanthony Blinken likely the same with war on newkraine nUkraine.
How will these two satanthony liars Fauci and Blinken spend those millions from their jail cell they will share?