John Stossel did a great show over the weekend, which ended with his taking questions from the audience. Considering the fact that most of the audience appeared to harbor libertarian beliefs, some of their questions were stunning.
One questioner asked, “At what point do we draw the line and realize that we need government for something?” It was amazing — and a bit discouraging. Even people who think of themselves as libertarians can’t quite get over the hallucination that government is omniscient and omnipotent and that there are things government must do for us.
Don’t we need government to operate the post office, so people in hard-to-reach communities will be served? No.
Don’t we need government to build roads and bridges? No.
Don’t we need government to protect us from harmful drugs? No.
Don’t we need government to prevent greedy corporations from contaminating the environment? No.
Don’t we need government to … no, No, NO! The belief that only government can do certain things is the biggest fairytale ever sold to a sleepwalking public. Governments are a magnet for freeloading politicians and bureaucrats, while individuals, left to their own devices, are able to create opportunity and prosperity.
Over the years, Stossel has repeatedly and brilliantly made the point that government is inefficient, corrupt, and wasteful. But even if government were efficient, honest, and careful with your tax dollars, there still would be no justifiable reason for politicians to take your money and spend it as they see fit.
People have a natural right to spend their money as they see fit. But as much as the audience seemed to agree with Stossel’s overall theme, some just couldn’t bring themselves to understand his main point, which is summed up in the title of his new book: No, They Can’t: Why Government Fails — But Individuals Succeed.
Until conservatives (not progressives, who are hopelessly attached to the notion that government should rule every aspect of our lives) come to understand that most of the things government now does are unnecessary, intrusive, anti-constitutional, and counterproductive to the health and prosperity of individuals, there is no hope that we can start rebuilding what is left of our once vibrant nation.
