Comment Depends (Score 1) 16
It depends on whether you have faith in and respect your government. Obviously, taking something that you don't need when someone else could make better use of it is wrong. But, that last part is important: when someone else could make better use of it. Do you feel as though your tax dollars are being well-spent? I don't, as far as I'm concerned, the government is stealing my money, so me stealing it back is only fair. Especially in a situation like this where they're practically giving it to you anyway.
Then comes the issue of social responsibility. Even if you're in the clear stealing it back from the government, will the negative effects to society of $8000 more government debt outweigh your personal benefit? This is one that I don't know the answer to, and my personal answer to this question hinges upon finding out. My suspicion is that it doesn't make any difference, and I might as well just take it. The government will just borrow the money from the federal reserve, and it will likely never need to be paid back or will be inflated out of existence. Anyone else know more about that one than me?
Then comes the issue of social responsibility. Even if you're in the clear stealing it back from the government, will the negative effects to society of $8000 more government debt outweigh your personal benefit? This is one that I don't know the answer to, and my personal answer to this question hinges upon finding out. My suspicion is that it doesn't make any difference, and I might as well just take it. The government will just borrow the money from the federal reserve, and it will likely never need to be paid back or will be inflated out of existence. Anyone else know more about that one than me?
