Should we allow conservatives and libertarians to opt out of taxes and the social contract?

[Dropkickmurphy]

Yes I would love for 20 or 30 states to pull out of the union and watch the liberals gape at the fact that they got left.

[Dan B]

No, because then everybody would opt out just because the chance to not pull their weight was offered. At least that's the conservative theory of human behavior. They themselves are perfectly virtuous beings, totally uncorrupted by the exact same society liberals live in.

[aynrkey]

What social contract are you referring to specifically?

The Social Contract is a theoretical construct used by enlightenment era philosophers to best describe the relationship between the individual and the state. Although Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau disagreed on the precise details of said theoretical construct, at no point did any of those three widely varied philosophers think it was a real contract.

Put into context, the social contract is when the massed people agree "I won't rob you if you won't rob me" and then set up a government to implement that agreement. By the very same theoretical foundation that sets up this social contract, it is quite possible for the government to violate said contract, and by social contract theory if the government is in violation then the government itself should be done away with.

Given all of that, then what do you mean by opting out of the social contract? Assuming the government is not the agent violating the contract, then a person opting out is by definition a criminal who is violating the "I won't rob you if you won't rob me" understanding.

So what you are really asking about is simply opting out of the taxes that pay for certain programs. You are trying to make a rhetorical point about the selfishness of anyone who disagree with your politics, phrasing it as allowing them to not pay the portion of taxes that pay for programs that you view them as disagreeing with. I take it that you therefore also approve of all programs passed by the hated other party? You approve of the drug war and the war on terror, the Bush inspired police state? Would you, if allowed, opt out of paying taxes for Republican programs?

But I suspect that reasoned discourse on the nature of the social contract is not what you seek, based on the use of words such as to "conservitards" and "precious guns", and therefore you will not appreciate this answer.

[Toxicpanduh #2]

If I was exempt from EVERY Government tax / fee & only had to pay the market rates for services....AWESOME. The only Government services I use are the public roads & fire, police (which theorectically we could privatize and save even more money).

I'm not certain why you think we would be turned away at the hospitals. They are PRIVATE & I do have health insurance + my own funds in my pocket.