Do you consider yourself to be free?

I am not free, though I work toward that goal every day.

• I can't travel as I wish without government permission.


• I can't own certain objects without government permission.


• I can't take certain actions (which don't harm or threaten others) or ingest certain substances without inviting prosecution or imprisonment.


• I don't fully own much of "my" property: if taxes aren't paid, it can be confiscated; government limits my ability to make changes to my home and land; I can't even freely dispose of it as I might want (large gifts incur taxes)


• I can't earn a living by doing whatever I want, even if those things don't harm others.


• Some of my property is regularly confiscated by government without my consent, through inflation and taxes.

A million other aspects of our lives are controlled, restricted and monitored. Residents of Colorado aren't even allowed to catch rain water without risking prosecution, fines and imprisonment.