In this article from The Foundation for Economic Education’s site, Arthur Foulkes discusses the proper role of government and relates an interesting anecdote, wherein a friend of his gave copies of Bastiat’s wonderful book The Law to local politicians. Most of them were not happy with that gift. A lump of coal would have been preferred.
Once I did the same thing. Back when I lived in Michigan, the Labor Committee of the State Senate was considering a bill to raise the minimum wage. Just to make a nuisance of myself, I went to the hearing and testified against the bill. When I was finished, I gave a copy of The Law to each of the members of the committee. I doubt that any of them ever bothered to read it.
While on the subject of the minimum wage, the idiotic blather of Marshall Brain (is there an antonym for eponymous?) reminds me of the kind of economic meddling practiced by FDR and his … “Brain Trust.”
