Federal and state governments are shutting down essentially everything, indefinitely. The most vibrant and energetic economy in human history is grinding to a halt, and the cratering of the stock market reflects this. Yet only certain selected businesses will be given subsidies for compensation. How fair or economic is that? And in an economy closer to collapse each day, where is the money supposed to come from?
Larger companies will be expected to take many of the hits. But consumers will pay for these hits through higher costs and/or more limited goods and services. When will we stop pretending that when politicians do things “for” us, it’s we the productive who are paying? Politicians produce nothing. Economically they are parasites, and morally they are thieves. Frederic Bastiat, a French economist, called it legalized plunder.
The only good thing a government can do for us is protect our freedom and individual liberty. This is the last thing any of our elected creeps seem to consider. None of these frenetic mandates are making us healthier. Doctors and science will do that–only if they are left the hell alone. It’s a bidding war right now to see who can be the coolest tyrant. Only a nation of cowardly wimps thoroughly ignorant of their own inalienable rights would tolerate it. Too many of us are pitiful sheep.
The law of unintended consequences is always implicit in any government action. Our Constitution was not about giving unlimited and unilateral power to any Governor or President. And yet here we are. It’s not going to stop, and my prediction is much of it will not be temporary. Sure, a lot of businesses will reopen when officials feel like letting them. But they will love the power we let them get away with exercising in our open-ended national emergency, and power is like a drug to most of our politicians. They will not let it go.
The damage to our economy could be with us for years, or even permanently. Our freedom, such as it still existed, will never be the same.
But hey, it’s coronavirus. I guess that excuses everything.
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