From: "Vladimir Z. Nuri" <vznuri@netcom.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 10:19:25 +0800
To: Adam Back <aba@dcs.ex.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: How to solve the tax problem w/o anarchy or force
In-Reply-To: <199811092311.XAA06732@server.eternity.org>
Message-ID: <199811100157.RAA05844@netcom13.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



the distinction between govt and business is sometimes an
arbitrary one. for example govt agencies typically contract
with private companies to perform govt services. a massive
example of this is the defense industry. what I would tend
to propose is a system where this is augmented and finetuned
to the point the govt become a very efficient sorting mechanism
for channeling money to businesses that are the most efficient.
a very interesting combination of the ideas of free market and
govt service.

AB, I disagree that people would opt out of virtually all govt
services. bzzzzzzzt. think of things like trash collection etc.
I do believe the vast majority of things the govt does would
tend to stay there even if people had a choice.

the big libertarian question is, as you raise it: should people
have to pay for things they don't want. well consider things like
roads, police or fire protection, or the court system. 
what if you don't pay, but then dial
911 anyway? or you dial 911 and they ask for your credit card
first? <g>   it really does seem to me like there is a legitimate
role for a certain amount of money to be collected for govt
service. imho it is far, far less than whatis being collected
today. if taxes were 5-10% people wouldn't give as much a damn
about the govt and how it worked. it's because taxes are so high
that people are screeching more. screeching but not acting, as
usual.

libertarians tend to be awfully realistic some times. who pays for
roads when everyone uses them? but I'm definitely into the basic
libertarian ideas.