People at the newspapers are still on vacation, mostly because politicians are, too. So, I tried reading old headlines. Those from a month ago are kind of laughable in terms of threats and impending dangers, but they were terribly important then. Then, I thought of referring you to a very good article. Can I do that?
In the absence of news, I will merely share a couple quotes from Charles K. Rowley:
It is pointless and even dangerous to proffer advice to politicians crafted from the high principles of Paretian welfare economics. For such advice will simply be emasculated and transformed to suit the self-seeking interests of those who serve in political markets more or less exclusively in pursuit of private benefits.
[paraphrasing Gordon Tullock] Where higher level government programs provide assistance to lower level systems, the lower level governments respond by neglecting their own responsibilities in order to qualify for higher level subsidies, again behaving much like the Chinese beggars, mutilating themselves in order to become objects of pity. In competing for aid, lower levels of government waste scarce resources and degrade their assets.
