Will Grigg?s Liberty Minute

June 25, 2009

As James Madison explained in Federalist Paper number 10, the federated design of our republic encourages economic competition. Each state government can either prosper or suffer depending on the wisdom of its policies regarding taxation and regulation.

State governments do try to deflect those costs on the public, of course. One good example is offered in a recent Washington Times story describing how ?Several states and the District of Columbia are tracking down smokers who buy cheaper cigarettes out of their jurisdictions and have even begun tax-collection procedures that can end in liens put against the offender?s property.?

In similar fashion, after the State of Tennessee tripled cigarette taxes two years ago, it threatened felony prosecution of those who purchased so-called contraband cigarettes in neighboring states. The state mounted a major surveillance and interdiction program to enforce that policy.

Behavior like this by the British Crown triggered the first war for American Independence.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.