FAIRness and CONSENT

To break down further the issue(s) of fairness thus consent, that is, beyond particulars like taxes (see post FAIR versus UNFAIR Taxes), comparatively consider "consensual" sexual activity per these videos' metaphoric use of tea...

Tea and Consent (English)...

Tea and Consent (translated to American :-) )...

... Now, over the next few minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years (literally), apply this same principle of consent to ALL activities public, private, group/club, economical, social, academic, religious, even political/legal, until you cannot think of another.

Simply...

SEX engaged without mutual consent is violent therefore rape.

EXCHANGE conducted without mutual consent is violent therefore theft.

WORK imposed without mutual consent is violent therefore slavery.

TERMINATION executed without mutual consent is violent therefore murder.

Simply and conversely...

SEX engaged with mutual consent is no longer violent therefore entertainment, friendship, relationship, marriage, etc.

EXCHANGE conducted with mutual consent is no longer violent therefore barter, buy/sale, loan, gift, benevolence, etc.

WORK imposed with mutual consent is no longer violent therefore employment, voluntary/charitable labor, etc.

TERMINATION executed with mutual consent is no longer violent therefore assisted suicide.

Regardless how one prioritize sexual activity among nonsexual activities, the moral considerations are quite high nevertheless. Though each of us may draw different lines for limitations or allowances, none of us would exclude the ethical necessity for mutual consent. If this is true for something of this importance, would not logic consistently dictate the same consideration for those things of lesser and greater importance as well. By making exceptions, are we not questioning the very nature of truth or principle; consistency.

Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.

FAIR versus UNFAIR Taxes

The only FAIR exchange, barter, sale, employment or tax is one WITH unanimous CONSENT among the two or more parties directly involved, regardless of the terms and conditions accepted.

Conversely...

The only UNFAIR exchange, barter, sale, employment or tax is one WITHOUT unanimous CONSENT among the two or more parties directly involved, regardless of the terms and conditions accepted.

The popular notion for "fair tax" requires legislation without unanimous consent, then imposition by force of law under threat of government's gun and prison. Show me one "fair tax" advocate/supporter who accepts the terms for more "fair taxes" (levied upon others of course), while accepting these same terms and conditions for his/her next purchase of a cup of coffee, concert tickets or pair of jeans, or their next swap for vintage vinyl records or used furniture. There isn't one aforementioned advocate/supporter that would be agreeable to those arrangements, that is, under force or threat of another legally or illegally, for it is quite contrary to their (mine too) daily decisions, actions as well natural sense of ownership, freedom and ethic.

The matter of greed or self-interest is of no concern here, it is a matter of consent, thus running starkly counter (if we were honest) to our passion at least, reason at most, for what is "fairness". The inconsistent application of any definition of fairness should be and is indicative of the blatant unfairness.

Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.

ObamaCare versus SandersCare versus TrumpCare

With Mr Trump's announcement of TrumpCare to replace ObamaCare if elected, I am curious how the "ardent" critics of the latter among the Trumpsters will respond. I am sure a list of "improvements" or "differences" will be promulgated by Mr Trump of course, cheered by his acolytes, while dissing ObamaCare as well SandersCare. How different are the three programs, let us consider the characteristics. All three are socialistic programs as objectives. All three employ fascist methodology (mandating, regulating and subsidizing from "top down"), oppose to communistic methodology (owning thus mandating, regulating and subsidizing from "ground up"). It follows, all three inevitably push upward prices and wages within the healthcare industry, as result of the mandating, regulating and subsidizing. Before some pine for freer days of old, current/past social programs are of the same dynamics as previously described, but are no longer viewed negatively per a broad range of delusional sentiments; Medicare, VA benefits, Social Security, and more. These latter programs, as acceptable they may be to many who oppose the current healthcare proposals, are of the same unfortunate nature and consequence.

As a footnote or two...

Is the adjective "fascist" extreme, not at all. Fascism is not defined by police statism, militarism, mass execution and/or genocide, and neither is it's close cousin Communism. Rather, these are results of complete control of economies by the two Isms, with Fascism and Communism differing only in methods (as mentioned above), the top-down regulating of private property/production versus the ground-up regulating by eliminating private property/production, respectively. So it is quite logical thus accurate to say, Fascism and Communism oppress and kill to obtain and maintain control of the economy, not to control the economy so to oppress and kill.

It is by this understanding, Crony-Capitalism (or Corporatism) is another fascist-esque methodology, that runs the risk of becoming full bloomed into Fascism over decades of time (i.e. the preceding 100 years of German history up to the rise of Hitler per John T. Flynn's book As We Go Marching). With that said, the US economy is a blend of sectors or segments of the economy under communistic "ground-up" methods (ie. nationalization of libraries, roads, public works, etc), some (or few) near capitalistic (ie. a nearly free-market in comparison), with the bulk of the economy under fascist "top-down" methods.

Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.

Governor Bryant Proclaimed April as Confederate Heritage Month

Yesterday, Governor Bryant of Mississippi (my adopted home state) proclaimed April as Confederate Heritage Month. I retorted on Clarion-Ledger's page...

The confederacy was a very small portion of Mississippi history. Was it an era to be proudly noted, no more or less than any other era of this state's history, or of other states and countries. Therefore, merely refer to April as Mississippi History Month for all state citizens.

No one era can be so lifted above others for human history is littered with continual confluences of moral, amoral and immoral intentions and deeds. Rightly viewed, societies and eras are not singularities but of many individuals of all sorts of character and action. As an example, of course Mississippi had the right thus the will to secede from an oppressive union, to reject the intrusion of a corrupt federal government. At the same time with equal emphasis, Mississippi had NO right to impose an oppression in the form of slavery upon a whole segment of society. Thus an era of Liberty regarded and exerted as a state, while Liberty disregarded and forcefully, horribly taken from many individuals. Such paradoxes fill human history to the brim.

Likewise, just as the month of April should be a time to learn of all of Mississippi's history, not just a few years of it, there should a flag that similarly represent the sentiments common to all citizens. It also a time to consider a flag without symbols of "all" violence against humanity, including those of war. That is to say, a flag without symbols of a particular era, and without swords, muskets, cannons, generals, soldiers and such. Rather, I propose a flag with symbols of unrestrained industry, free commerce, farmers in fields, assemblers in factories, builders on lots, transporters on roads, technicians, accounts, managers and investors at desks or...simply beauty in bloom.


PEACE IN MISSISSIPPI


Come let us Reason. Peace is always a choice.

Frank Chodorov

"Perhaps the removal of trade restrictions throughout the world would do more for the cause of universal peace than can any political union of peoples separated by trade barriers... Society thrives on trade simply because trade makes specialization possible, and specialization increases output, and increased output reduces the cost in toil for the satisfactions men live by. That being so, the market place is a most humane institution."

Frank Chodorov (1887-1966)

Note:
I recommend his book Income Tax: The Root of All Evil, as well the collection of essays I'm currently reading entitled One Is A Crowd. For free downloads of Chodorov's books, click on link below then click on Major Works below his photo.

https://mises.org/profile/frank-chodorov

Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.

THE DRIVER by Garet Garrett

Before the question "WHO IS JOHN GALT?" prevailed throughout Ayn Rand's 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged, the preceding inquiry "WHO IS HENRY GALT?" rippled the pages of Garet Garrett's 1922 novel The Driver. Some have seen the characters' surnames as Rand's homage to Garrett's literary work(s) and economic theme she ardently paralleled.

I have finished reading it a few weeks ago and recommend The Driver, particularly if you have not read Atlas Shrugged, also recommended as post-compliment to the former.

THE DRIVER (free ebook) by Garet Garrett (1878-1954)
https://mises.org/library/driver

Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.

Glenn Frey (1948-2016)

One of these nights, when in Winslow Arizona, I will pause while standing on a corner just before a tequila sunrise, as another wannabee desperado in mind or perhaps just some new kid in town and in heart, knowing his songs in some small way, will help me in the long run to take it easy, and find that peaceful easy feeling for one brief moment... Raising a shot of courage to you, Glenn!

Glenn Frey (1948-2016)

Note:
I remember in high school, one could not turn on an AM station, most FM stations as well, without one of his songs on the air. Many a summer afternoon in the mid 1970s, while hangin' out at the American river or north fork of the Yuba up in the Sierras, his tunes were blaring from the rocky riverbank.