[The Green Goblin]

So, no state assistance for those physically unable to care for themselves. OK, I'm understanding you better now.

Good. You must certainly now understand that my position is that of the Founding Fathers who made no provision for "state assistance" in such cases in the Constitution of the United States. Such "assistance" is made possible only by forcible theft from other men, and is thus immoral:

"By nature's law, every man has a right to seize and retake by force his own property taken from him by another by force or fraud. Nor is this natural right among the first which is taken into the hands of regular government after it is instituted. It was long retained by our ancestors. It was a part of their common law, laid down in their books, recognized by all the authorities, and regulated as to circumstances of practice." --Thomas Jefferson: Batture at New Orleans, 1812

[wimpycat]

Thomas Jefferson's quote (I'm surprised you'd take non-Constitutional text and pass it off as valid to the law) would only make sense if he felt public assistance was fraudulent and taken by force. I don't believe he felt that way, and I believe the quote has been taken out of its larger context anyway. But just to humor you, our quadriplegic has the right to take by force his property (use of his body, his means of earning a living) which was taken from him by another (the drunk driver) by force or fraud. The quadriplegic has a natural right to his property. Thomas Jefferson is saying that our quadriplegic has natural rights, part of common law, recognized by all the authorities and regulated as to the circumstances of practice. So who will guarantee him these rights? Private charity? The state has the legal duty, not the Church, the obligation to see to guaranteeing our quadriplegic his rights. In the absence of restoring the use of his limbs, enabling our quadriplegic to earn his own living, the state has the obligation to guarantee our quadriplegic has the legal means to recover adequate compensation to cover the loss of his limbs. Normally, he would recover from the drunk driver, but if the drunk driver has no money, the state is not absolved of its responsibility to protect our quadriplegic's rights under the law.

[exodus]

"By nature's law, every man has a right to seize and retake by force his own property taken from him by another by force or fraud. Nor is this natural right among the first which is taken into the hands of regular government after it is instituted. It was long retained by our ancestors. It was a part of their common law, laid down in their books, recognized by all the authorities, and regulated as to circumstances of practice."
--Thomas Jefferson: Batture at New Orleans, 1812
# 326 by The Green Goblin
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Great quote, Goblin!

I haven't seen that one before.