The No Treason Podcast Ep. 3: The Highwayman, Taxes & The Myth of Consent
Description
Jonathan Drake continues his deep dive into Lysander Spooner’s No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority, dissecting Section 3 and exposing the illusion of voluntary consent in taxation and governance. He unpacks Spooner’s argument that taxes, enforced under threat, are no different than theft by a “highwayman”, except the robber is more honest about his intentions than the government. Through Spooner’s lens, Jonathan explores how the secret ballot conceals true authority, why voters can’t possibly consent to laws they never agreed to, and how the state’s monopoly on force violates natural law. Drawing connections from the Civil War to modern examples like Waco, Ruby Ridge, and January 6th, he reveals how coercion remains the cornerstone of political power. With sharp wit and calm conviction, Jonathan ties Spooner’s 19th-century logic to today’s crises, arguing that property taxes, foreign wars, and global corruption all stem from the same fraudulent social contract. The episode closes with a hopeful challenge: reclaiming liberty through understanding, self-sovereignty, and the timeless truth that consent cannot be compelled.