[Bartweiss]

That's an anarcho-capitalist stance, sure. But very few programmers are an-caps, compared to the number of libertarians.

Most libertarians (and minarchists, and a lot of others) specifically accept basic law enforcement as a reasonable role of government. The whole "night watchman state" idea centers around defense, policing, and courts as legitimate government powers.

(Also, this is backwards even to an-caps. The taxation was theft, but availing yourself of services purchased is reasonable compensation since no one else is permitted to sell legal services.)

[geofft]

Sure, but is e.g. law enforcement in America a legitimate government power? People on all corners of the political spectrum believe that America's police is entirely too powerful and too militarized and solving all the wrong problems. They believe that even if there exists some law enforcement that is a legitimate purpose of government, the thing America has is definitely not that. If I think there's a good chance that this specific law enforcement organization respond to the cryptocoin spammer with a SWAT team and a CFAA prosecution, is it still legitimate for me to ask that department for help?

And if I'm trying to enforce laws against e.g. someone in another jurisdiction, I didn't pay for that. The funding for that police department was taken from people in that jurisdiction. I can see it being consistent to make use of services that my own tax dollars paid for, but is it legitimate to make use of services that other people's tax dollars paid for, without their consent?