Big Government

Jonathan Newman joins Bob to respond to Robert Reich's new series on "economic myths."

Thanks to the war uniparty that controls Washington, Americans are mired in endless wars and military and political intervention. As Washington creates legions of new enemies, the future for average Americans grows uncertain.

According to an article in The Atlantic, Washington is turning away from its previous commitment to “free trade.” However, there never was a “free trade consensus” because Washington always has sought state-managed trade.

Alex Pertsev, a developer of Tornado Cash, has been sentenced to prison by a Dutch court for helping build a platform that guarantees financial privacy. If there is one thing the state cannot tolerate, it is someone making financial transactions without government agents watching.

When it comes to calling out government economic intervention, it is easy to forget that the fundamental reason for the state’s stranglehold on the economy is the government’s monopoly on creating and maintaining money. It is time to end the monopoly.

Welfare is usually seen as state-run activity. Yet, as Mises and others have noted, state-sponsored welfare undermines the economy and expands government power. Private charity is the only system that is sustainable and just.

Contra Keynesians, who believe that government spending and bureaucracy are the keys to economic growth, it is the bureaucratic state that swallows resources and stifles entrepreneurs. The more powerful the bureaucracy, the lower the standard of living.

Politicians will invoke the venerable just war theory when they believe they can manipulate the facts in their favor. In truth, it is the rare government that engages in a justified conflict.

Government schooling advocates are demanding that homeschoolers be regulated by public school authorities. Perhaps homeschooling advocates should be monitoring the government.

While our political “leaders” insist that the government is “protecting” us, it offers the same kind of “protection” that mobsters offer: pay us to “protect” you, or we burn down your place with you in it.