Time and life

There are few among us who would, given the choice, hand over a third of our lives to people who don't appreciate it; a smaller portion still would give up that portion of their life to people who acted as if it's their divine right to take it from you. However, there are large swaths of the population who feel that it is quite alright to demand such a sacrifice from us.

I speak, of course, of taxes. Now, I'm not one of those nutjobs who feels that all taxation is thievery. I do, however, believe that any time a person is forced, against their will, to trade their life for something of no value, that they are the victims of theft. I get value from roads - the goods I use, the services I frequent, the travels I take - I traverse roads for these. I gain value from them. The military provides me value by defening my life, liberty and property against external aggressors. The police, judges, and correctional officers of the US do the same against internal aggressors. Fire services, ambulances - they provide me value, but I hope never to use them. These are all good things.

However, the moment I am forced to trade my life for something of no value, I am a victim of theft. Giving money to welfare recipients, who sit and watch TV all day, while I slave, is trading my life for no value. Worse still, they raise a new generation to hate me because I'm providing for them. That's negative value, if that's possible.

I know what you're thinking. "Greedy Republican bastard", you grouse, "you think life and money are the same thing." Not at all. Money is what I get for trading my life to my employer. See, those of us who carry the highest tax burden tend to work the most hours. Not only am I no stranger to hundred-hour workweeks, I also put myself through college and graduate school, I earn many certifications, I keep up with the latest developments in my field. I sweat and toil, and give up my life. The amount of money I get in return from my employer is the balance to giving up my life, it is the value I receive. So, when the government reaches into my pocket to give my money, against my will, to a welfare recipient, they aren't just taking my money. They are taking my life. I have a certain number of hours to live. Because my work schedule precludes a good bit of exercise, I have fewer hours to live than many who get less compensation from their employers. I still see value in this, as it allows me to provide a life with more leisure time to my wife and children, who benefit from this. I benefit. This is because of the choices I have made, and the work I have put towards attaining my position.

Similarly, I feel that there is nobody on welfare who isn't there by choice. (I know this because, at one point, I was earning less than $4K / year, and trying to survive on it. I realized that I had to correct my choices and get my act together, which I did.) So now the government tells me that I need to put forth a large section of my LIFE to pay for the poor choices of others - choices that, had I made, would need to be subsidized by another individual, who would be feeling this burden.

It's easy to vote money out of someone else's pocket. It's much harder when you realize you're voting away my life. Your life. The life of everyone who works - to benefit the non-working, the lazy, the uneducated, the useless. If you call that compassion, then you need a new dictionary.