If you broke into your neighbor’s home to take money for the purpose of giving it to the poor, you would be guilty of theft. If you threatened to tie up your neighbor unless he refrained from selling certain products, you would be guilty of assault. If you demanded payment from your neighbor for protection against theft of his property, you would be guilty of extortion. In each instance your action constitutes an initiation of force (or the threat thereof) against your neighbor. In each instance your action is criminal. Why are these actions considered proper when enacted by government?
When government taxes your neighbor for social welfare programs, threatens him with imprisonment for selling unapproved pharmaceuticals, or requires certain permits or licensing fees to conduct business, government is engaging in the same actions considered criminal when undertaken by an individual. The fact that a large number of people support such policies and actions does not change their nature.
Today, politics is nothing more than an endless debate over who should wield government force and for what purpose it should be used. Democrats seek to force individuals to purchase health insurance, demand higher taxes on the wealthy to pay for welfare schemes, and want to restrict oil companies from drilling. Republicans seek to force schools to teach creationism, demand restrictions on pornography, and want to ban abortion. Both parties agree that force is an acceptable means of resolving disagreements. And when the next election cycle starts, the debate renews again, with neither party challenging the premise that force is practical.
Ironically, most American complain when they are the victims of government coercion, yet they willingly seek to use that coercion against others. They want to live their lives as they choose, but they are unwilling to allow others the same. They want government to impose controls and regulations on their neighbor, while their neighbor seeks controls and regulations and them. And government is more than willing to comply, with the result being that government will soon control everything.