Reader Opinion: Are we liberated?
After reading Tuesday’s paper about new taxes, I thought it might be interesting to cite a little history. Patrick Henry said “Give me liberty of give me death.” The American colonies had been forced to endure taxation without representation, searches and seizures without probable cause, the confiscation of firearms. One of the watchwords was “No King but King Jesus.” Federal spending as a share of GDP (10.8% in 1984, 20.4% today). Average tax burden (5.9% in 1900, 30% today). The Federal Register, which explains rules and regs numbered 2,620 pages in 1936 and 97,069 pages in 2016. The question then is government working to liberate and empower the individual or control him?
Greg Struss
Baxter
