[Frondo]

There are many transactions in the world where people pay for things they didn't specifically want, e.g. buying a car and getting all the seats and safety features, or ordering a meal and paying the full price even if you ask for some ingredient to be omitted.

In none of these cases--paying for a car where you'll take out the seats, paying for a meal where you don't get the mushrooms, paying taxes for government services you don't agree with--is the payment suddenly "theft".

[techlibertarian]

> There are many transactions in the world where people pay for things they didn't specifically want, e.g. buying a car and getting all the seats and safety features, or ordering a meal and paying the full price even if you ask for some ingredient to be omitted.

The difference is consent. People consent to paying for those meals or the car. But nobody ever consented to taxation. That's all part of the "social contract" we're born into.

[Frondo]

You consent by continuing to live here.

You're right that initial decision of consent was made for you by someone else--it was made for you by your parents, when you were a child and they had custody of you.

As an adult, you are free to revoke your consent by leaving the country and ceasing to enjoy the benefits its government provides.

(And as for "nobody consented to taxation," I consented, and continue to do so, because I like contributing to the country where I live and where I'm a citizen.)

[techlibertarian]

It's not that easy. It costs money to leave the country. As in, Uncle Sam wants me to pay. So exactly how free am I?