The robust commercial republic that emerged through this constitution of liberty clearly warranted the designation of American exceptionalism. That exceptionalism has been under assault for around a century now as the consensual principle upon which the American regime was founded has come increasingly to give way to the factional principle, whereby government becomes an instrument that confers advantage on some people by imposing costs on other people, which the original American Constitution sought to resist.
-Richard Wagner (James M. Buchanan and Liberal Political Economy)
Instead of the Free Marketplace, we’ve turned (as a Society) to be more accepting of rent-seeking in which Crony Capitalist seek advantage amongst all the deep and dark corners of Big and Bigger Government. Even those that rail against this want even Bigger Government to patrol itself to eliminate this problem. Are they insane to think that more Government is the answer?
Unfortunately, yes. The only solution is to shrink Government – its size and its reach. When that happens, by necessity and definition, the number of those dark places within Government will disappear leaving less and less place in which some can use Government for their own advantage.
The Progressives blame Big Business for this situation. I say that it is the Progressives that have caused it by growing Government.
Which of us is right?
(H/T: Cafe Hayek)
