Will America always be free?

The situation.
A freedom never tasted is a freedom never missed.
I am an old man and I can remember a time in my life when we had freedoms you do not miss because you never knew.
Simple, small everyday freedoms that have been legislated out of existance entirely, "for your own good."
Young folk today surely believe they live in a free country.
But not from where I sit.

I may not be as old as you are but I can remember what it was like even in the 70's compared to today. I remember opening my first bank account without a SSN. Making my first airline flight without ID.

I know what we have is a pale comparison to what we had. I run a small business and can see what a mess I have to deal with in terms of regulations and tax codes and know it is a waste of time and money. It didn't used to be that way.

I have also lived around the country and built houses in three different states.

In WV building outside the city requires no inspections and a $20 permit. I built my 5000' house from a sketch in WV. FL requires 20-30 inspections, engineer stamped blueprints, wetlands determinations, etc. WA is in the middle.

I have read and talked to enough old folk, as it were, to know what we have isn't "freedom." My personal experience tells me the same.

Actually that is my point exactly. I may not have as long on the planet as you but even in my lifetime things have shifted pretty far from liberty.

When the post button actually works.

Six months in I get a letter from IRS that I owe $600 for something like "self employment tax" or some such, don't remember exact wording 20 years ago and this when I hadn't made a dime for my own pocket.

They are insidious. Turns out majority shareholders of LLC's also owe self employment tax on the profits of the company as well as the salary of the operator.

The silent majority let a lot of stuff get past us. Let's vow to NOW let it happen anymore.