An article was published in 1968 by Ezra Taft Benson titled, The Proper Role of Government. In it he clearly states that it is not the role of government to take from one to give to another. He goes on to say that if we do, then we put ourselves on a slippery slope of government handouts and less freedom.
These comments seem needed more than ever as our government prepares yet another bailout plan. The government seems to think the bigger the bailout, the better. Let us remember this principal, DEBT IS BAD. That is what got us into this mess and when the government gets into too much debt the consequences are going to be worse than we are seeing now.
We live in a time when the State of California cannot give back overpaid taxes because it is broke. Ezra Taft Benson speaks of a state taking Federal money in his essay The Proper Role of Government published in 1968 (linked above). He stated, "I consider it a violation of the Constitution for the Federal Government to levy taxes for the support of state or local government; that no State or local government can accept funds from the Federal and remain independent in performing its functions, nor can the citizens exercise their rights of self-government under such conditions. (http://www.zionsbest.com/proper_role.html)"
Another major theme in Benson's essay is socialism. Under his heading "Things the Government Should not Do" Benson states, "A category of government activity which, today, not only requires the closest scrutiny, but which also poses a grave danger to our continued freedom, is the activity NOT within the proper sphere of government. No one has the authority to grant such powers, as welfare programs, schemes for re-distributing the wealth, and activities which coerce people into acting in accordance with a prescribed code of social planning. There is one simple test. Do I as an individual have a right to use force upon my neighbor to accomplish this goal? If I do have such a right, then I may delegate that power to my government to exercise on my behalf. If I do not have that right as an individual, then I cannot delegate it to government, and I cannot ask my government to perform the act for me. http://www.zionsbest.com/proper_role.html"
Benson then gives an example from James R. Evans, in his book, The Glorious Quest.
"Assume, for example, that we were farmers, and that we received a letter from the government telling us that we were going to get a thousand dollars this year for plowed up acreage. But rather than the normal method of collection, we were to take this letter and collect $69.71 from Bill Brown, at such and such an address, and $82.47 from Henry Jones, $59.80 from a Bill Smith, and so on down the line; that these men would make up our farm subsidy. "Neither you nor I, nor would 99 percent of the farmers, walk up and ring a man's doorbell, hold out a hand and say, 'Give me what you've earned even though I have not.' We simply wouldn't do it because we would be facing directly the violation of a moral law, 'Thou shalt not steal.' In short, we would be held accountable for our actions. (http://www.zionsbest.com/proper_role.html)"
We need to wake up and stop voting ourselves benefits we have no right to have. We need to stop allowing the government to redistribute our wealth to a ruling elite. Benson's article was published in 1968, what would he have to say now?
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2 comments:
Our taxes are already too high and shortly will become even higher. I feel as though we are slaves to the government. Where I go to work yet see little of my income because the rest is sent to a corrupt government. What this country needs is a revolution. Thomas Jefferson would certainly agree.
This is a comment by JJohnny I read on an article about the bailout. "It's nice to hear an elected official talk with some interest about the United States, its' industries and its' employees. After 8 years of "Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, etc" - it's nice to hear about our country for a change. As for the folks who can't seem to accept that it is OUR country OUR government should be assisting, dealing with and talking about - I don't know! You need to think hard about that. Why not support the RV industry in Elkhart - won't the U.S be better off if Elkhart isn't bankrupt? Why not support the technology and agricultural industry in California - won't the U.S. be better off if those industries aren't bankrupt? Why not support the automobile industry in the Midwest - won't the U.S. be better of if that industry isn't bankrupt? Why not support the medical devices industries in the U.S.? Why not support farmers of the great plains states? Why not support America - what's going on here folks, what's the hate toward the U.S. about?"
This seems to be the feeling of people who are accepting of and used to government interference. They don't see any other way to live, except for the government to have their hands in everything. What will make people believe that they can live with out the government making the world go round.
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