Economist says U.S. on way to totalitarianism

NewsOK.com-The Daily Oklahoman ^ | 11-22-02 | The Oklahoman

[rwfok]

Republican economist and author Walter Williams told a group of Oklahomans on Thursday that the United States is headed toward totalitarianism. Williams, a nationally syndicated columnist and occasional substitute host for radio personality Rush Limbaugh, spoke at a noon luncheon at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. His presentation was sponsored by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.

Williams discussed the decline of capitalism and expansion of government. He compared government taxing and spending to theft and rape.

"As time goes by, you and I own less and less of our most valuable property -- namely ourselves and the fruits of our labor," Williams said. "We do not decide how the fruits of our labor will be used. Someone else makes that decision."

Williams, an economics professor at George Mason University, acknowledged the need for government to provide national defense, police services and a few other limited roles, but said most government spending is a publicly sponsored armed robbery.

"Both acts involve taking the property of one person and giving it to another to whom it does not belong," Williams said. "The only way the American government can give a person a dollar is -- through threats, intimidation and coercion -- to take that money from somebody else. Just because you vote to take someone's property doesn't make it right."

Williams said the United States became the richest nation in the world because it was founded on the free enterprise system. That status has led many Americans to give up their freedoms to stamp out social problems, Williams said.

"Free enterprise in our country is threatened today not because of its failure but because of its success," Williams said. "In the name of other ideas ... we have abandoned many personal liberties. The ultimate end to this process is totalitarianism."

Williams said the slow growth of the federal government through increased taxation is taking away liberties bit by bit.

Williams said he would like to see government put a limit on spending.

[rwfok]

You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to man's age-old dream -- the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order -- or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path. Plutarch warned, "The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits." - Ronald Reagan - October 27, 1964

[sauropod]

Williams is correct!

[My2Cents]

Walter Williams is entitled to his opinions.

[sinkspur]

Williams is a strange duck. He's in favor of Southern secession as well.

[John Lenin]

Walter Williams truth bump!

[Dane]

Williams is a strange duck.

JMO, but it seems that Professor Williams has been consuming in mass quantities the cannabis brownies offered by the Cato Institute.

[Maelstrom]

Williams is correct.

He and I have arrived at the same conclusion independently.

[Vineyard]

Be careful. Williams is in favor of limited government, and therefore while he might not personally agree with a particular position, he would tend to say that the government should not interfere.

The States created the Federal Government, and Williams has suggested that states that feel that if the Federal Government has overreached its mandates, then a state should be able to withdraw, and go it alone. Therefore - if a southern state feels that the federal government oppresses southern states with heavy tariffs that hurt southern states and help northern states ... session should be a valid option!

Williams also believes in the sanctity of private property - including businesses. If a resturant wanted to exclude any minority, it should have the right to do so. That doesn't mean he endorses bigotry ... he just feels that private property is private, and someone who owns something should be able to control it.

Mike

[RISU]

Do you know the difference between 30 years old and 50?

30 says "Hey, we should do something about this!"

50 says "Hey, what are you going to do?"

[Cobra64]

There are few agencies or arms of the government that I'd keep in place other than the United States military. There rest should be unplugged. OSHA, EPA, DOE, HHS, the list goes on and on. They are blood-sucking leeches to the taxpayers and the economy.

[Pontiac]

Williams said the United States became the richest nation in the world because it was founded on the free enterprise system. That status has led many Americans to give up their freedoms to stamp out social problems, Williams said.

Odd thing is, with all of the many billions of dollars spent to stamp out social problems, I can’t think of a single social problem that government has been able to stamp out or for that matter even reduce (at least since the beginning of the war on poverty which I consider the beginning of the major government spending on social welfare).

[VRW Conspirator]

The States created the Federal Government, and Williams has suggested that states that feel that if the Federal Government has overreached its mandates, then a state should be able to withdraw, and go it alone ... session should be a valid option!...

As unsavory as the prospect of seccesion is, it is valid. To deny so is to deny the Natural heirarchy of rights. God gives rights to man. Man creates state. State creates laws and lends right to central government to make federal laws. To say that a state does not have the right is to say that the State is not "in its right". The next step is to simply deny rights of man. Hey, wait a minute...

[coloradan]

Wow! Based on his arguments, you assume he must be doing illegal drugs. Do you have anything substantive to offer with respect to his observations or will simple libel do it for you?

[Dane]

First thought you meant the (British)magazine, Economist.

I did also, but as I read further, it was Professor Williams doing his Buchanan/Tancredo like impression.

The well known schtick of being reactionary and yelling that tyranny is behind every door.

[Leisler]

Hey, come on now. A few more years and we’ll be at the end of the tunnel. The War on Poverty, Drugs, the environment, everyone educated and using their minds to read the classics and take their kids to the birthplace of the founders……why, why, just a little more….one more tax……

[thinktwice]

Your name calling Williams a "Strange duck" tells more about you than about Williams.

Attacking economists that stand for individual freedom and the economic system springing from freedom -- capitalism -- is standing for socialism, communism and slavery.

[Lurker]

FR's resident Republican Liberal checks in.

Thanks,

L

[Dane]

Do you have anything substantive to offer with respect to his observations or will simple libel do it for you?

Uh dude, all I stated was my opinion and that opinion was that Professor Williams was consuming way to much the cannabis induced "nuggets" from the Libertarian Cato Institute.

You know those nuggets very well, that the WOD is "totaltarian" and all that jazz.

Get back to me when you find one person employed in the Cato Institute, who will state emphatically that the WOD is not "totaltarian" or "tyranny".