The government shutdown

I noticed something this morning on facebook.

A lot of postings regarding the impending government shutdown.  What was particularly interesting was what was being posted and how to spot the die-hard statists.  These people are the ones who expressed their frustration on the "failure" of Congress.  Mark my words here: Those who are frustrated with the government's inability to compromise and "get things done" today are the ones who will be the first to abandon the democratic model in favor of a "more centralized" form of government where there's less gridlock.  In other words, a more totalitarian form of government.  This is exactly where the Hitlers, Mussolinis and the Maos come from.  They just don't fall out of the sky.

When a representative style of government begins to fail, from its own inherent flaws, people will want a more "effective" form of government.  Instead of thinking perhaps their assumptions might have been wrong to begin with, they simply double-down on the flawed system.  This is the drug-addict refusing to believe the source of their troubles is the drug itself but rather not having enough of the drug.

Statism is the new religion.  It is dogma and its failures could only be explained by the lack of total adoption by others.  The interesting thing though is if it's success is solely based on 100% adoption rate, simply kicking out those who oppose this ideology would solve their problem.  All they have to do is say, "Okay, all you anarchists out there, we don't need your tax money and we'll show you how great this society can be without you."  Once the precedent has been established, everyone would be heading out the exit doors.  Thus the contradiction that taxation isn't theft is revealed; the social contract exposed for what it is - a myth.  Maybe not everyone would head for the exit doors.  Perhaps there will be those who wish to stay and try this social experiment.  However, this would then simply become an example of a stateless society because the remaining participants in this experiment wouldn't be coerced to pay for "government services" since they all willingly stay.  Taxation, in this system, is really donation-based funding.

Another angle for attacking the concept that taxation isn't theft is a moral argument.  If taxation isn't theft then it should follow that anyone who pays taxes is good person.  If the tax money goes to help the poor, feed hungry children, put out fires, provide protection services for others AND taxation is not theft and simply a donation, or better yet, a social contract where by not fleeing the tax system shows your devotion to enter into this contract,  you are doing great humanitarian services for others.

Ahhh but no statist would look at that as morally good since it's indirect through a tax system.  These people aren't happy to just stop there.  Suddenly, the goal post has moved because if you pay taxes, you are just doing the bare minimum and it can't be considered good if you just do the bare minimum.  Suddenly the voluntary aspect of the social contract is completely ignored.

Anyway, take down names on facebook.  In about 5-10 years these will be the same ones who will support the idea of a dictatorship.