[OT] Are we a democracy or a republic?

[Andy Bradford]

Thus said Kenneth Burgener on Sat, 03 Sep 2005 10:06:32 MDT:

> Last time  I checked,  you were  not required to  pick up  your social
> security check,  or even use  public schools,  or public water.  It is
> there as  an option. If you  don't like those programs  you can always
> save your money for retirement, go to private schools, and buy premium
> bottled water.

If one is  not required to pick  up a social security check,  why is one
required to pay social security tax?  As to saving money for retirement,
I would gladly take  all the money paid into social  security and put it
towards  retirement, but  then I  don't have  the freedom  to make  that
choice.

> If you are  religious person, this is like paying  tithing, and having
> the church decide out to which things it will be divided out to.

No, it is not  the least bit like paying tithing.  Tithing is a strictly
voluntary donation, taxes are coerced from the people.

> I  think   what  fundamentally   what  made   Communism  (dictatorship
> socialism) is the lack of choice.

By this  definition then, we  are already communists. Certainly  one can
choose  to not  pay  taxes,  but then  then  the government  confiscates
property or even  people. That's like saying, you have  a choice between
taking this pill  which will kill you painlessly or  you have the choice
to be tortured to death.

Andy
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