"Living Wage"

Here's at thought: If government wants to increase the minimum wage why don't they cut down their part that doesn't make it to the worker- taxes? Unfortunately, I can think of many answers of why not (at least ones that politicians would say). The problem is that not one of these reasons makes sense. By the way, I don't like the term "living wage". How many people in this country die each year because they make a "dying wage"?

Life, Liberty, Property, and TV?

In the news today, I heard that Congress is looking at giving television owners a $3 billion subsidy for analog to HDTV converters. They are concerned (or so they say) that low income Americans may not have the $40-50 needed for a conversion box. Apparently, they believe that we all have the right to TV. Surely, they must believe that this right is much more important than the right of private property, which has been violated in taking the money from tax payers to pay for the TV subsidy. What right does government have to do this? I say none. They may have the ability, but not the moral right.

The right of government is no more than an extention of the rights of an individual. I like to look at issues at a small scale to see exactly how these issues affect individual rights:

Bob just found out that his analog television set will no longer work without a $50 HDTV converter. He takes his gun out, walks over to his neighbor, Joe's house (who makes more money than him), and forces Joe to write him a $50 check. He then buys the converter.

This scenario played out on a grand scale is what we have today. My neighbor wants a converter. My money is taken (through taxes) to give him that converter. If I refuse to pay for it, I will lose my liberty (end up in prison), and if I resist enough, even my life.

We have the right to defend our private property and government has no right to give it to someone else. Just as Bob, in my example, is violating Joe's rights, the government is violating ours. We should not tolorate this from our elected officials. I wish everyone would write senators and representatives.

Beginning

Well, here is my first blog post. I decided to create this blog to have a place to gather my ideas on freedom and share them with those who may be interested. I said, "my ideas", but I can only lay claim to few as my own. Many great men and women from the beginning of time have helped to shape my opinions and form my words. I would like to apply these great truths that I have learned (and hope to continue learning) to issues that pertain to our times. I feel we truly live in a perilous time, where the principles that created this great nation are all to often violated by foolish whims. I wish to be a voice in favor of preserving and restoring our freedom.

This blog is called Life, Liberty, and Property because those are the things which man has a God given right to protect from theft and tyranny. And in the words of the Declaration of Independence, "That to secure these rights, Governments were instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." My display name is Bastiat in honor of the great French economist Frederic Bastiat who said, "Life, faculties, production---in other words, individuality, liberty, property---this is man. And in spite of the cunning of artful political leaders, these three gifts from God precede all human legislation, and are superior to it" (The Law, New York: The Foundation for Economic Education, 1998).

I hope to be remembered as one who stood for liberty. The battle between liberty and compulsion is one that has never ceased in this world. I fight with those who love freedom.