If this policy was implemented a while ago we wouldn’t have so many people on the dole. I would argue that disenfranchisement would not be as widespread as it would be today. Yet, such a policy today could be helpful if for no other reason that it would give taxpayers more say in how their money is spent. As our society moves towards more takers than producers the problem of pandering for handouts is just going to accelerate.

Concerning John Danforth’s comments: what I am not certain of is whether all the BAD (e.g. funny) money/debt floating around will lead to a gradual leaking of the air from our tires or a catastrophic collapse. Neither is worth looking forward to but the $ 3 Terabuck
Liberation-of-Iraq, the 2% Fed loans to prop up the bank-mortgage-housing bubble, the Social-ist inSecurity / Medicare promissory state – will come back to haunt us. I do note that the real inflation is not the 3% “cost of living” CPI and so this constitutes a silent tax and budget cut on people behind their backs.

[I’ve recommended that only those who pay taxes, not consume them, be granted political rights. Maybe someone better adept at a search can find that citation for me.—IM]

Can anyone think of how the country benefited from Jorge, Destroyer of Economies, huge increase in federal spending? Iraq only makes up one third of the increase and I can’t see any benefit to the rest of that money. Roads aren’t better, poverty isn’t down, unemployment grows worse and the military is suffering from equipment shortages. So someone, anyone, tell me where the money went and how did we benefit? And to top it off Barry wants to raise taxes for more of the same.

Anidea,

I used to think this too. But by this logic everyone who benefits from fractional reserve banking, for instance, should be disenfranchised.
For instance, if one borrows money from a bank, he increases the money supply by the amount of his loan. Thus, he is stealing by inflation with government approval. The analogy is borrowing from a counterfeiter. But if he doesn’t borrow, how will he accumulate enough money by saving given artificially low interest rates?

Many of the poor, most of them, I would hazard, would not be poor if we had had an honest banking system since 1913.

We are in a diabolical system where most are either victims of or victimizers by the government-backed banking cartel.

–John–

[During the times of the founders only property owners voted. This was a philosophically sound position to classical liberals of the 18-19 century. It still is. Please use a valid e-mail when posting.–IM]