Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site dciem.UUCP Path: utzoo!dciem!mmt From: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: voting - (nf) Message-ID: <722@dciem.UUCP> Date: Sat, 18-Feb-84 17:10:23 EST Article-I.D.: dciem.722 Posted: Sat Feb 18 17:10:23 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Feb-84 18:24:36 EST References: <5655@uiucdcs.UUCP> Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada Lines: 32 ================ In general, it excludes that section of the population with a financial interest in government schemes that take wealth from those who produce it and give it to those who do not. I suggest that such a scheme is the only way, short of financial collapse, that the US can control the out-of-control "entitlement" programs. Scott Renner ================ The above was part of a proposal to limit voting rights according to a person's contribution to the Government's finances. There seem to be two problems (apart from the moral one): (1) Whose economic theory do you use to determine which people create wealth? According to some, the underpaid working slaves create the wealth in which the capitalist pigs wallow. According to others, only the accumulation and management of capital allows the masses to enjoy even the meagre standard of living they have. So who chooses the theory? (2) Even if the theory could be agreed, what do you do about people who believe that a change of government would put them into a plus position and therefore entitled to vote, wheras the present Government keeps them in a minus position? Do you tell them that armed rebellion is their only recourse? (Sounds like quite a lot of the world, righ now). [I realize that Renner's article doesn't read this way in its literal sense, but it carries the implications to which I respond. If Renner doesn't intend those implications, I apologise, but people often do argue that voting should depend on contribution.] -- Martin Taylor {allegra,linus,ihnp4,uw-beaver,floyd,ubc-vision}!utzoo!dciem!mmt