Federal government to pay Stop lossed personell 500 per month of extension.

Well guys, my old driver called me up and told me about this.  I checked it out.  It's true.  I can't link anyone to the official site.  It is secure.

My information so far says this legislation was passed on Oct 21st this year. (unverified as of yet)

What are everyones thoughts about this.  According to the application form I can collect 3,000 dollars.  I don't think I'm gonna do it.  It's blood money.  I've had enough of that.  Anyone care to try and justify me collecting my due.

Think of it like slave reparations.

I think that's just thuggery too though.  Nope can't justify it on that premise.  Anyone else?  I could really use some convincing.  3,000 can turn into lots of wonderful things

That $3,000 is going to go somewhere, whether you accept it or not. Sounds like the trap that Ron Paul got himself in by being a politician. He votes against stimulus spending bills but when they get passed anyway and it comes to his district, he pretty much gets forced into a position where if he doesn't take the money, it will just go somewhere else anyway.

 

Edit - It sounds like you don't really need the money. If you decide to take it, maybe give it to a private charity?

It is thuggery, but only to a very small portion of the population.  My guess is that 99.99% of the population is happy to pay taxes.

jmorris84:

Edit - It sounds like you don't really need the money. If you decide to take it, maybe give it to a private charity?

Hmm. Not a bad Idea.  I don't like most charities.  I do like a few though.  I'm gonna fill out the form. 

I could use the money.  I'm still a poor bastard.

I realize no one here is my accountant.  Resources on how to write the donation off?

Saan:

I could use the money.  I'm still a poor bastard.

Wow that didn't take much convincing.

Saan:

Well guys, my old driver called me up and told me about this.  I checked it out.  It's true.  I can't link anyone to the official site.  It is secure.

My information so far says this legislation was passed on Oct 21st this year. (unverified as of yet)

What are everyones thoughts about this.  According to the application form I can collect 3,000 dollars.  I don't think I'm gonna do it.  It's blood money.  I've had enough of that.  Anyone care to try and justify me collecting my due.

Don`t be so self-centered, you egoist. It`s just you, you, you. We don`t care about your feelings. Stop thinking so much about yourself. Yes, you are going to feel guilty taking 3,000 dollars. So, what? Start thinking about others than yourself for once! Do you want to bankrupt the state or not?  Do you want the state to have 3,000 dollars less on its hands to use for evil or not? Do you want Donald Rumsfeld (is he stil around?) to have 3,000 dollars more to buy bombs to throw on Arabs or do you want him to have 3,000 dollars less? Why don`t you just send the state 3,000 of your own dollars if you are going to be like this?! I will be very suspicious of you if you don`t take the money from state`s hands. State lover!

(How did I do?)

That was pretty good

 

Ah yes, the Robin Hood argument in full bloom now.  I'll take the money, which will deny the tyrant some power, and instead use it for some good.

The problem is, it wasn't your money in the first place and the idea that it was is completely silly on its face.

Do whatever you want to do, but don't try to find some justification among libertarians for it.  There is no consensus, only different ways of rationalizing your course of action to yourself.

Well I'm convinced.  I'll do better with it than the state will.

liberty student:

Ah yes, the Robin Hood argument in full bloom now.  I'll take the money, which will deny the tyrant some power, and instead use it for some good.

The problem is, it wasn't your money in the first place and the idea that it was is completely silly on its face.

Do whatever you want to do, but don't try to find some justification among libertarians for it.  There is no consensus, only different ways of rationalizing your course of action to yourself.

 

Yep I won't justify that I'm receiving stolen money should I click the send button. My post was missing this I still am repulsed by the money, but I can see the practical points of the robin hood argument.  Where will it go wrong? That is what I don't see

liberty student:

Ah yes, the Robin Hood argument in full bloom now.  I'll take the money, which will deny the tyrant some power, and instead use it for some good.

The problem is, it wasn't your money in the first place and the idea that it was is completely silly on its face.

Do whatever you want to do, but don't try to find some justification among libertarians for it.  There is no consensus, only different ways of rationalizing your course of action to yourself.

Wouldn't he be stealing from "Robin Hood", in this case?

jmorris84:

Wouldn't he be stealing from "Robin Hood", in this case?

It's the stealing part that gets me.

Saan:

My post was missing this I still am repulsed by the money, but I can see the practical points of the robin hood argument

This is your moral issue to resolve.  It is not an easy one.  Are you willing to suffer for your beliefs?  Do you feel it is necessary to do so?

Questions only you can answer.

I just don't like the greater good rationale.  If you do it, you do it for you.  Be honest with that.  No one collects welfare to bankrupt the state.

I'd take the money, and give it to the Ludwig von Mises institute. That money is then tax-deductible, so you get some funds off your taxes and the LvMi gets 3000 dollars richer and the government doesn't directly benefit.

liberty student:

The problem is, it wasn't your money in the first place and the idea that it was is completely silly on its face.

You are right, it is silly in the context of stop-loss. State employees don`t really pay taxes. But what if you used to have a private sector job? So the state used to steal from you and now you`re getting your money back? The only problem I see with this is that it is a strange "stealing back" that requires you not to defy the state, but to accept offered bribes.

i wouldn't know what to do.  honestly, i don't know what stop lossed personaell is, but i don't know if that's significant being i readily get the jist it's from the government and that's what all the hub-bub is about.  My input on taking money from the government cause it supposedly redistributes the money from bombs to your pocket - the robin hood idea - is false.  I don't think any of us forgot that the government prints this shit out of thin air so it's going to the bombs, goldmach sachs, and whatever have you no matter what.  so i don't see how it's redistributed, in this sense, from one person minus another.  they keep printing it so I don't clearly see how one person is taking the money and bombs are not being funded.  the bombs are.  there is not either this gets funded or that with the government at this point.  it's everything they get their hands on is getting dumped with money without a rational thought - thus the whole reason we know the government is screwing everything up.  they can't even keep track (at least publicly the fed. says this) of trillions of dollars.  it's like water when one is canoeing on a lake - it's everywhere so who's counting.  so i was simply clarifying how i see the "robin hood" factor.  

as for you and what to do.  i don't know.

Take the money, buy some gold (or something else of intrinsict value) and stash it away.  It will be worth a lot more in the future, and you can then find a proper use for it at the right time.  If you want more utility from it sooner, then donating it to Mises.org would be acceptable.

The damage has already been done.  It's no longer the taxpayer's money.  If Big Brother doesn't spend it, the taxpayers aren't getting it back.  It's most likely to go to some nefarious purpose that opposes liberty.  So in a way, you do more damage by not accepting it.  We're screwed either way, so you might as well make the most of it.