[sperry]

These are the services I believe my gov't should provide to all for "free", paid for by our taxes:

education (K-college)
military
justice
police
fire
rescue
medical/healthcare
basic food/clothing/shelter

In short, no one in the country should have to be stupid, hungry, sick, or homeless unless they choose to be. Citizens should all have universal access to these basic services as a benefit of living in a modern society. Outside of that, people should be free to do anything they wish so long as it doesn't infringe on another person's freedom to do the same.

If you want to mooch off the system, go right ahead. I just have a hard time believe there are many people that would aspire to nothing having been provided with a quality college education. If the gov't is going to be paying for your basic services, you should be required to get an education.

And all of that should be paid for with a flat national sales tax. No more income tax... just a VAT on all goods sold at all steps along the manufacturing pipeline. So even if you're a welfare moocher, unless you're living on just the bare necessities paid for by welfare, you're going to be paying taxes on the stuff you buy.