Email Rant February 2009

The danger of "we need to do something" is the assumption that we will do the right thing. Worse still is the assumption that Government will do the right thing. Government will never do the right thing because it is not in the best interest of politicians to do so. The motivations of politicians are completely disparate from individuals, companies, free markets and capitalism. Politicians/government focus on short-term, self-interested and politically expedient "solutions" to problems that invariable create bigger problems. Politicians can not actively claim credit for the benefits created by free markets. They can only claim credit when they "do something" regardless of the inevitable damage of such action.

The US has prospered in spite of a growing federal government over the past 100 years because capitalism, despite being restrained by government interaction, produced surplus economic benefit faster than they could confiscate it, redistribute it or destroy it. This is not inevitable and doesn't even appear particularly likely given our federal debt, proposed deficits, unfunded future liabilities, growing government intervention and institutionalized social programs.

Government can not be trusted and should be chained to the basement floor and beaten regularly.