Message #882

[Ted S]

I've made this point a few times so forgive me if I'm redundant but it is important.  Donni's last post reminds me of this quote from PJ O'Rourke:

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.

There are millions of businessmen and women in the US, many of which would like to have the government guarantee their success by granting them special favors or by punishing their competition.  But why try to control their behavior?  Isn't it easier and more proper to control the behavior of those who are actually granting the favors?

Yes, in the land of Utopia, teenagers would all be responsible and not ask their parents for a keg of beer and the family sedan and businessmen wouldn't seek special favors from politicians but we live in the real world and when the family car is a twisted pile of steel and glass we cast the scornful eye in the direction of the parent who said okay.  Why can't we take the same approach with government?  Why do we constantly blame business for simply seeking favors and give politicians a pass for actually granting them?

If we want to stomp down on crony capitalism we are going to have to limit the powers of government.  We need to forbid our politicians from granting favors.  One of the best ways would be to simplify the tax code and have everybody pay a flat rate, no exceptions.  After all, it would be a complete waste of time and money for business to lobby for a special tax loophole if politicians were forbidden to monkey with the tax code.