From Mshiltonj wiki

Below are the comments I made at the Raleigh City Council this evening, taken from my prepared remarks and edited to include my spoken variations to the best of my recollection:

I am not here tonight to ask the City for anything. I'm not here with my hand out asking you to finance my pet project, and I won't ask you to do it for the children or for the future.

I'm here instead to talk about a group of people who, I am now certain, are being severely underrepresented at this hearing: those who value liberty and freedom and independence.

I value these things, and sometimes I fear that puts me in very small minority. But that's only on my bad days. On my bad days, it's hard to not feel like everyone thinks that every problem imaginable has a government solution, and that government action -- whether regulations or laws or new programs -- is the solution to any and all problems. On my bad days, I fear that no one even considers that government largess and overbearance may indeed be the root cause of many of these problems people are clamoring to be fixed.

It can be very disheartening.

But that's on my bad days. Usually, I'm much more upbeat. I try to surround myself with people who enjoy liberty and freedom and independence as much as I do. My family and friends believe that people -- everyone -- should be able to do as they please so long as they harm no one else, and take responsibility for their own actions. I believe that people should be able keep the money they earn and be able to spend or save it how they choose. I also believe that if I want something, no matter how badly I want it or how important it is, I should pay for it myself.

And, as a person who values freedom and liberty -- not just for myself but for everyone around me-- I will not and can not demand that others buy things for me or pay for the programs I like.

I cannot choose for others how their money should be spent, and then demand they spend it that way without their approval.

Or worse, I can not just take their money from them involuntarily and spend it on projects and programs of my choosing. I certainly can't do this and claim it's all in their best interest.

Each person should be able to decide where, when and how their money gets spent, voluntarily, freely and without the threat of violence -- and by violence I mean being arrested and jailed or having their property confiscated. Each person should completely own their property and their money and be able to do with it what they want -- make good or bad decisions, shrewd or rash, selfish or noble. It's their money. I love freedom and independence enough to know that's the right way to do things.

I do not think the trappings of government -- a nice building, an official seal, or a room full of people begging for support from the public treasury -- somehow make it okay to take people's money. My money. I recognize that for exactly what it is.

Most people who feel the way I do are private citizens who want to be left alone to tend to their own business. They work hard to provide for their family and their future and have little time or energy left over to keep the machine of government off their back. I confess I feel that way many times myself.

Some of my associates are apolitical -- militantly so. They avoid politics like the plague. I doubt the Council gets much feedback from this group of people, but they are residents and taxpayers. And since they know I follow politics and talk about it frequently, I don't get invited over for dinner very often. But on the rare occasions that the conversation does steer toward politics, their contempt of the whole process is obvious. "All politicians want is money," they say. "All politicians want is to get a bigger budget and more control and more power." They say other things about politicians that I can't repeat here.

But are they wrong? Can a politician pass a budget that *doesn't* grow? Can a politician pass a budget that doesn't expand their power and authority by controlling more money?

I have my suspicions on the subject, but we'll all find out how City of Raleigh rates when the budget goes through.The person who spoke immediately after me was unapologetic about her request for support for the YMCA -- she proudly said that she was here "with her hand out, for the children, and for the future."

It felt good to say what needed to be said.