Given the “complexion” of our incoming New Hampshire legislature, we should take a moment to revisit a phrase you’ll be hearing a lot more around the Granite State. “Free money.”
‘Free money’ is taxes for which (the individual using the term) did not have to “vote” to collect them.
Someone else, further away and more difficult to influence, took your money.
Related: About that Free Money from Washington
After skimming off a handling fee and associating it with some federal program or agency with rules and regulations (see, “with strings attached”) members of Congress (see also, money launderers) some sum is returned with a press releases about how they got it back for x,y, or z. The folks tasked with x,y, or z, at the local level crow about how the object of this glorious gift of “free money.” The press writes about it. Conservative Bloggers roll their eyes.
Another possible definition is money that didn’t cost the state or local official any political capital. A system where someone else takes the money, and they do not have to make a case for or go on the record in favor of the taking.
Depending on who, how much, what for, and when (because timing is everything) it may create political capital for free, from their point of view but not yours.
You already paid for it they just don’t want you to know it. Your job and ours is to remind taxpayers that while yes the Feds can print whatever they want and do, that is still your money. The government does not create anything it consumes, and if you do not understand this, it will devour everything while you smile and clap about the so-called free money.
Related: Money and Speech
