Government makes a nice scam

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for June 11, 2023)

I need more money. I think it's time I raise my debt ceiling. The creditors get no vote.

I'll still be broke but as long as I can spend someone else's money I won't notice. I'm accustomed to a certain standard of living and it would be unreasonable to expect me to be more responsible with my spending. After all, people make demands of me and I can't just say no. There might be unpleasant consequences! So every year or so I'll increase the amount of debt I allow myself to be in and everything will be fine forever.

I won't even pretend I'm going to repay this debt. I'll offer your grandchildren as the ones on the hook to pay it back-- unless they can keep following my example. Or they can default and see what happens next.

My creditors can take the money from these future citizens who never agreed to co-sign for me. It's a technicality I can ignore. The creditors can call this debt collection, seized from people who didn't guarantee the debt,  "taxation" if they like. It sounds so much nicer than "extortion".

Maybe while I'm on a roll I'll fabricate a few trillion new dollars, too. I can pay the interest on the debt with this new money and maybe no one will notice my sleight of hand. If I'm lucky, or exceptionally crooked, I can keep kicking this can down the road until it's no longer my problem.

Of course, no one can actually get away with this level of irresponsibility unless they call themselves "government". Even government won't be able to get away with it forever-- even if the humans running the train over the cliff believe they can.

Government is a nice scam if you can get away with it.

If we were accustomed to living in liberty without being governed and someone came up with the idea to impose a government on us, we'd never fall for it. The only reason we do is because we grew up imagining it is the natural order of things and believing liberty is something scary or dangerous. Or we are fooled into believing we are as free as it is possible to be. It isn't and we aren't.

Politics nearly always either bores me or makes me angry. When it comes to government's financial shenanigans it makes me laugh. I can't believe the people let them get away with this scam.

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Be yourself, but the GOOD version of yourself

I'm really good at letting people be themselves. With one exception: If "being themselves" includes controlling others— bullying— I'm not good at letting them do that without fighting back. Nor should anyone be.

If "yourself" wants to manifest by robbing, governing, censoring, attacking, enslaving, disarming, or otherwise controlling others— being a bully— that's not something I'll accept. I'll stand up for myself and I'll stand up for your other victims. People have the right to be who they are, but there is no right to use "who you are" as an excuse to archate.

You be you, but don't impose yourself and your will on others. Let others be themselves. Don't try to stop me from being me and I'll give you the same room in which to live your unique life.

I might still laugh at some people if I find them ridiculous-- just like some people laugh at me, and have done so all my life. It doesn't hurt me. We can all laugh at each others' silliness together-- and could even bond over it if you don't let your ego get in the way. 

I've had good friendships start with someone laughing at me, and then getting to know me. Whatever works. Right?

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My surgery fund. 

Thank you!