[chezlaw]

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Everyone may not be volunteering, but I am. When you asked what I was receiving from the state on a voluntary basis I presumed you meant that I was volunteering for. I choose to pay my taxes and receive state subsidised services and the benefits and costs of state regulations.

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How does this square with you not being responsible for the actions of Howards government?

chez

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Damn you pay attention...you'll have to remind me where that came up...

I think my argument will go something like:

I volunteer to participate in the system, so I accept the benefits of the state and agree to pay the costs. Part of our system involves representative democracy together with free speech. I have cast my vote consistently against the Howard government, I've been to protests, I've donated time and money to his political opponents. Within the system I've done what I can to oppose the current government of the day (or what I think is reasonable anyhow). Consequently, I am a participant in the society and am partly responsible for choosing the government, however I have done everything I could reasonably do to prevent their actions, so I cant be held responsible for those actions.

Inconsistent?

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can't remember the thread. Don't know about inconsistant but I think you're wrong (I'm in a similar boat).

Ideally we want the actions to reflect the majority view rather than our own. If the majority want to do something we believe stupid then we want that stupid thing to be done. That's the whole idea of democracy and if we voluntarily take part then we are responsible for a system in which the majority view holds and hence we are responsible for the system acting as the majority want. Arguing our case doesn't change any of that.

Real life is slightly less ideal but the general idea still holds.

chez