Monday, November 14, 2011

Gambling with government

Those who favor an increase in government's power to coerce rarely stop to consider how they'd like such power used against them.  This is why we have a bi-factional ruling party that continues to grow government.  They merely squabble about priorities, and cry foul when their successful tactics of yesteryear suddenly put the shoe on the other foot.

In essence, looking to government power to solve the world's ills is like shooting craps in a casino... only with worse odds:
All goods distributed by government must first be created or produced by somebody. Whatever is given must first be taken. This is true for corporate subsidies and bank bailouts, just as it is true for transfer payments made to the very poorest members of society. People by and large accept such a system because they believe they will be able to draw more in political advantage than they lose by way of political plunder. This mentality keeps the population playing the game, and like the casino, if enough people play the game, it is the political class and the politically connected that always win.
Read the whole thing.  (HT: The Last Ditch)

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