Trust Government?

Column for week of July 14, 2014

     For nearly 20 years I have written about the scams
offered by that great fraudster we call government.  Most people
are more likely to get mad than to listen when alerted to
government scams.  I find it mildly encouraging that a recent
poll found that 75 percent don't trust government.

     The first step to undoing a fraudster is exposing him. 
Why is it so hard to convince people that government is mostly
a fraud?   It is the same reason that it is difficult to convince a
four year old that Santa Clause is a myth.  Both desperately
want to believe their Santa will deliver.

     I'm not optimistic that 75 percent really have discovered
the truth about government.  I fear that they merely don't trust
the hucksters currently running the scam.  Many probably
believe that all we need do is elect the right people and
government will forever spew out endless goodies for everyone.

     Let's briefly consider the basic reasons why government
always has been and always will be a lying fraudster.   All
people have the same desire to increase their satisfaction. 
Individuals in business and other private endeavors may have
just as much desire to rip you off as do those in government. 
They want to increase their satisfaction as much as does anyone
else.

     Free people in the private sector don't have to cooperate
with any particular individual.  We all choose to interact with
those we believe will provide us the most satisfaction.  If a free
market business wants customers, it must please those customers
more than someone else does.

     Free market businesses can't force customers to buy. 
Neither can they burn down the competition.  Government can
and does.  If government wants to cancel your insurance and
force you to buy its policy, it can and will.

     Government can also take down the competitors of
private businesses.  That is why businesses hire so many
lobbyists.  A few years ago government was promoting car
pooling and ride sharing.  Government provided car pool parking
lots still dot the landscape.

     Now cities across the land are criminalizing ride sharing.  
Why?   The cities are protecting taxicabs from competition. 
Cities are also criminalizing food trucks to protect restaurants
from competition.  The list of recipients of government
protection is all but endless.  It may be even longer than the list
of direct ripoffs by government.

     That which distinguishes government from all private
ventures is that government uses force and threats to coerce
people to do its will.  The will of those in government is always
to increase their own satisfaction.  Only government, and those
empowered by government can lawfully use force and violence
to commit aggression against others.  Only government and its
friends are free to say "Do it my way, or I will hurt you." 
Government's fatal flaw is there are too many opportunities for
exploitation.

     All government needs to do to keep its power is convince
voters that it really will deliver the goodies.  Those voters will
suspend disbelief and buy the government lies.  They will even
shout and scream at those who call attention to the government
lies.  They don't like to hear that government is like a Santa
Claus who robs banks 364 days a year to pay for one night of
giving.

     Perhaps some day a majority will accept reality and give
up their cherished belief in a benevolent and caring government. 
I am not under the illusion that the day has arrived, or is even
close.  Millions of voters still need to have their noses repeatedly
rubbed in government's endless failures before there can be a
true awakening.

     The worst lie is that government fails because the wrong
people are running it.  This lures voters to the candidates who
promise to find the right people and fix government.  There will
be no hope until voters accept that government has unfixable
inherent defects.  Drastically shrinking fraudster government is
the only solution.

aldmccallum@gmail.com
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Copyright 2014
Albert D. McCallum