Dagger in hand

A man of prodigious fortune, coming to add his opinion to some light discussion that was going on casually at his table, began precisely thus: "It can only be a liar or an ignoramus who will say otherwise than," and so on. Pursue that philosophical point, dagger in hand.

--Michel de Montaigne, Of the art of discussion.



Stab back: cmnewman99-at-yahoo.com


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Wednesday, June 02, 2004
 
Up to my eyeballs
You haven't been hearing much from me, because I'm burning the candle at both ends, and in the middle too, to get a draft of the Pasquantino brief done. The nature of the case makes the research an overwhelming array of common law (including English, Irish, Scottish, and Canadian cases), tax treaties, legislative history, and scholarly articles. At least I get to find quotes like this to warm the libertarian cockles of my heart:
[T]he nature and incidence of governmental and revenue claims are not dictated by any moral principles, but are the offspring of political considerations and political necessity. Taxation originally expressed only the will of the despot enforceable by torture, slavery and death. Though it may be conceded that in modern times it is more often designed to further a benevolent social policy, and that the civil servant has usurped the position of the executioner as the agent enforcing it, yet in essence taxation is still arbitrary and depends for its effectiveness only on the executive power of the State.
Peter Buchanan Ltd. v. McVey, [1955] H.L. 516 (Eire Sup. Ct. 1951).


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