TAXES

--- In spacesettlers, "terrierkeeper" wrote:

> Hate to be a Kill Joy on this but the United States Constitution
> is the most restrictive of constitutions on the power of
> government.
> Unfortunately it left the Government the job of enforcing it.

Well, the government oand the people who vote for them. The courts
are not elected so that they won't be swayed by public opinion. It's
really amazing that it has done as well as it has over more than two
centuries, considering that it's main job has been to keep American
free in spite of ourselves.

> Liberal judges have taken to reading things into the document
> through 'evolving' standards giving government all kinds of powers.

Not just liberals. Any time a right-wing judge decides that the
Fourth Amendment(*) means that the cops can, in fact, do any damn
thing they like any damn way they like any damn time they like, said
conservative judge is just as engaged in judicial activism as any
liberal ever hatched.

> They routinely redefine their power. They have redefined 'Cruel and
> Unusual Punishment'. Some are trying to redefine Marriage and
> Family.

One wonders why government should have any power to define or
redefine Marriage and Family in the first place.

> If I were to ammend it. I would first transfer tax collecting to
> the states with the power to withhold what they collect when ever
> the Feds get too big for their britches.

Which means that the states would decide that the Feds were getting
too big for their britches every time the states decided that they
wanted the movey for themselves. Which means that the Feds would
officially be too big for their britches all the time, no matter what
they actually did.

> Then I would give people the power to withold their taxes whenever
> their state government gets too big for its britches.

Which means that whenever I want to hold on to every last dollar, I
simply declare the state to be too big for its britches, and the
roads don't get built.

> At the same time I would certainly set up standards of Good
> Behavior by which Judges can be paid and hold office.

Good Behavior has to be more "they make decisions I like." Elsewise
they are nothing more than pollsters with power.

> Ultimately, the only means to restrict Government is if People take
> it upon themselves to do the job.

Absolutely. Having a press that will DO IT'S JOB would help.

(*) The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses,
papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures,
shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable
cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing
the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.