Decisions over the past half century or so have been gravitating away from those people who directly experience the consequences, and toward third parties who simply observe. That is, decisions are moving, for example, out of the market, where those who directly buy and sell something can decide whether they want it or they want it a certain way or a different way, into the hands of other people who simply look on. For example, automobiles are now made not simply the way customers want them and General Motors is willing to produce them. They also have to please Ralph Nader. I happen to have one of those bumpers that are now built to please Ralph Nader, and I can’t get a bicycle rack on it. I’m willing to pay to have the old bumper, General Motors is willing to produce it, but it would not make Ralph happy.
-Prof Thomas Sowell (Champions of Freedom)
Yeah, gas cans. It’s a “pebble in my shoe” kinda problem. Rarely used but when I have to, it is a Royal Pain in the Patootie. If you have one, you know EXACTLY what I mean. I spill more gas than with the “old school” ones. But some Government flunkie, upon watching YouTube videos of morons trying to win themselves a Darwin Award by literally throwing more gas on a fire.
And figuratively, so do politicians. While a few Democrat politicians have seen their Antifa/BLM “space to destroy” policies boomerang back on them, it’s mostly on the little people whose Mom and Pop stores have been destroyed. Or put out of business due to overwhelming tsunamis of regulations, taxes, fees, and fines. Look at what Governor Sununu unleashed by signing SB263 which has led to School Districts looking to shut down First Amendment Free Speech Rights.
Operation Chokepoint – Obama’s “guidance” to financial institutions to “stay away” from unfavored industries like firearms. EPA treating puddles and seasonal ditches as “waterways” to be regulated and thus a virtual Taking from the farmers that own the land. Ditto when some species that hasn’t been seen for years is then declared to be “protected” and landowners lose their logging / farming / development rights.
The list, seemingly, goes on forever because of one thing – those in “charge” just can’t seem to leave other people alone; they’ve never lost that smarmy schoolmarm / jr high hall monitor attitude in which a whiff of power goes to their heads but lands on us.
NGOs, like those responsible for pushing President Asterisk in shutting down the XL pipeline will glory in higher energy prices – never caring that it is the poor that they hurt. That raising the minimum wage workers will lose their jobs or hours but some SEIU Unionista will feel good about their participation in “Fight for $15”.
No, even as the Left claims that the Right has no “empathy”, they never stop to reflect on what their policies actually do to real people’s lives.
Even though a bought a battery operated gas pump to make life easier for myself, I’d love to give half my mind to the self-righteous paper pusher that decided he knew what was better for me than I do.
(H/T: Cafe Hayek)
