How I learned to start worrying and learned to hate the Government

Today in the mail, a notice arrived from the IL Tollway.
Dear Katherine,
Your vehicle has been recorded by the IL Tollway's enforcement camera system for not paying proper toll.
HUH?
First, for those that do not live in IL, our now impeached governor decided that the Tollway was an untapped revenue source to really screw out of state motorists who need to trek through our state using the tollway system. IL residents and some out of state ones, were encouraged to request what's called an IPASS and fund it. It's a little transponder that sits on the windshield of the car and must be funded with a minimum of $40. Every time we go through the toll, our little transponder deducts the toll from the $40. With this little transponder, we pay 50c. Those without the little transponder, pay $1. I was a good citizen and ordered the little transponder and funded it with my $40 and always keep a decent balance on the thing though I rarely use the tollway. As my transponder has been a permanent fixture in my vehicle, I could not figure out why I was being fined for unpaid tolls. I was being fined $65 for 3 tolls I incurred all on the same day, 11/27/2008. So I called the little customer service number and spoke to a customer service rep.
I gave her my transponder number and DL number and she pulled up my account to make sure it was funded and valid. Seeing that it was, she removed the cost of the violation and stated that the problem was the license plate number contained a dash on the website and that this dash may have been the reason that the account did not get credited properly. She then asked if I agreed to pay the $5 toll. Wait a minute, says I, why do I have to pay $5? I have the transponder, I should only have to pay $2.50. Well, there was a dash in the License plate in your account, she explained, that is why you owe $5.
So your system couldn't manage to find my transponder info but managed to find my mailing address and your beaurocrats couldn't figure out who to charge and that is somehow my fault?
Well, says the government employee, you set up your account.
I set up my account 3 years ago. I have been using the IPASS system since and have never had a violation. If the DASH was a problem, why didn't the website state the license was in a wrong format?
We do that now, she explained, but then we didn't.
Then how was I supposed to know to leave it off?
I don't know.
Well then how is this my fault?
Well you set up the account.
3 YEARS AGO!!!!....
She then proceeded to hang up on me.

This may be amusing to read for some and provided it was only $2.50 but I wasn't going to win this argument and the lady debited my account the full 5 bux. I wrote a letter of complaint, but I'm sure that $2.50 will help fill a pothole and it will never be recouped. It was the principle more than anything else.
My Libertarianism is shining through more and more every day. I just don't have the patience to deal with something like this for a lousy $2.50, but what about when trying to get medical care or payments for it in a government system? I dumped my HMO because I was tired as Hell of fighting the clerk in the IPA who insisted that I did not need a Sarcoma Specialist because any old Oncologist needs to do. It's just not cost effective to send me to a specialist for just, I don't know...cancer. I fought that system and lost and paid my specialist out of my own pocket to get the care I needed. But I had that choice. What if all that is available is Medicare? What if the powers that be someday decide that a beaurocrat like the one I just dealt with at the Tollway, gets to decide my care? What if someday, it doesn't matter if I opt to pay for it? Health care ala Tom Dachle means even if you can afford it, a Dr. will not allowed to take it by law because it's not fair that someone has more means and can get better care?
A Government large enough to give you all you want, is powerful enough to take all you have----Thomas Jefferson, a man I have come to very much admire, though flawed in many ways. He's on my short list of people I would love to meet.

Please be wary of politicians bearing gifts. You will pay in ways that you had not intended, maybe even with your life.