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Forcing people to be generous isn't humanitarian, effective, compassionate or moral. Only acts that are truly voluntary for all concerned can be truly compassionate.

Harry Browne

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Harry Browne
Age: 72 †
Born: 1933
Born: June 17
Died: 2006
Died: March 1
Financial Analyst
Peace Activist
Politician
Radio Personality
Writer
New York City
New York
Harry Edson Browne
Moral
Voluntary
People
Humanitarian
Compassionate
Effective
Generous
Acts
Concerned
Truly
Forcing

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You have only one life, and no one else will live it for you. Shouldn't you take the time right now to figure out what that life is all about?
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Most politicians believe in just one thing - winning elections. They'll say anything to get in office and stay there.
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If a law could keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people, there would be virtually no gun crime at all.
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Once upon a time, government budgets were balanced, our money was sound, the streets were safe, and taxes imposed by all levels of government took less than 10% of our income.
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Freedom and responsibility aren't interconnected things. They are the same thing.
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Communities don't think, don't believe, don't want, don't have needs, don't have interests and don't make decisions. Only individuals have minds that generate desires and needs - and only individuals can make choices and decisions.
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Everything we know about human nature and about government tells us that individuals using their own money will achieve far more good for themselves and far more for others than politicians spending money they didn't have to work to earn.
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Government doesn't work. That's the first lesson we must learn if we want to improve society.
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A great burden was lifted from my shoulders the day I realized that no one owes me anything.
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The important thing is to concentrate upon what you can do - by yourself, upon your own initiative.
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When people do things for you, it's because they want to - because you, in some way, give them something meaningful that makes them want to please you, not because anyone owes you anything.
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Left-wing politicians take away your liberty in the name of children and of fighting poverty, while right-wing politicians do it in the name of family values and fighting drugs. Either way, government gets bigger and you become less free.
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Some people object to libertarian ideas because there are too many irresponsible people in the world - people who will cause trouble if the government doesn't restrain them.
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When paper money systems begin to crack at the seams, the run to gold could be explosive.
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The coercive power of government is always a beacon to those who want to dominate others -- summoning the worst dregs of society to Washington to use that power to impose their will upon others.
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The police can't stop an intruder, mugger, or stalker from hurting you. They can pursue him only after he has hurt or killed you. Protecting yourself from harm is your responsibility, and you are far less likely to be hurt in a neighborhood of gun-owners than in one of disarmed citizens - even if you don't own a gun yourself.
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In almost all matters, the real question should be: why are we letting government handle this?
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But, actually, it is only Americans who say that our freedoms and prosperity are the reason foreigners hate us. If you ask the foreigners, they make it clear that it's America's bullying foreign policy they detest.
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Once we realize that government doesn't work, we will stop dreaming that this or that social problem can be solved by passing a law - or by creating a new government program - or by electing someone who will make Washington more efficient or cost-conscious.
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When you give politicians the power to do what you think is right you're automatically giving politicians the power to do what you think is wrong.
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