Small government was Re: [extropy-chat] EMP Attack?

[Joseph Bloch]

Adrian Tymes wrote:

>One can't defeat government on one's own.  
>  
>

I think that's the problem right there; the idea that government is 
something to be "defeated".

With all due apologies to the ultra-libertarians who are known to 
inhabit this list, I believe government has legitimate functions beyond 
enforcing contracts and national defense (at least until the advent of 
the PostHuman era, when every individual could and will have the 
capabilities of a modern nation in terms of defense and production), and 
from a practical standpoint the view is even grimmer (libertarians 
habitually get under 3% of the votes in most places in the USA, and I 
daresay the fact that there are outright socialist governments in other 
parts of the world points to the lack of libertarian success overseas).

Would I like less government? Sure. Would I like to pay less taxes to 
fund less government? Of course. Do I want to "defeat government"? Nope, 
and people who do are either anarchists, whackos, or (most likely) both. 
And they most certainly won't succeed.

And I want to succeed. If we don't, we're toast.

Joseph

Enhance your body "beyond well" and your mind "beyond normal": 
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New Jersey Transhumanist Association: http://www.goldenfuture.net/njta
PostHumanity Rising: http://transhumanist.blogspot.com/ (updated 4/9/05)