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September 3, 2019 by SC Striebeck

Do Consumers Know What’s Best for Them?

Do Consumers Know What’s Best for Them?

Source: Do Consumers Know What’s Best for Them?

Human nature is largely human nature regardless of culture, upbringing, etc. We all suffer from the many and various flaws of being human.

But over time, on the whole, for justice to prevail, for peace to follow, for prosperity to accumulate, to weave a common strength between us, we all need to be on the same proverbial playing field because we are all human, except for the reptilians and greys …just kidding!

If we want justice, it starts here with this concept – not some program drafted by bureaucrats in a governmentsl agency to somehow balance benefits or redistribute money for equalizing the general well-being of millions of people. Someone once said justice is consistent if nothing else – which by the way, begs the question: what is social justice? I’m still struggling with that one.

But I digress, back to the need for a level playing field. There is more than a grain of truth to that statement. It is the basis for what the true rule of law stands. It is what we are currently missing in most cultures and countries, including the United States. It should be respected, if not revered, not circumvented by excuse and subterfuge.

Rothbard, as only he so often crystalizes, wrote the following quoted from the above piece published by mises.org – very likely the finest organization devoted to educating all about the best and most equitable forms of economic thought and freedom.

“Thus, the privately hired expert flourishes in proportion to his ability, whereas the government expert flourishes in proportion to his success in currying political favor. Moreover, what incentive does the government expert have to care about the interests of his subjects? Surely he is not especially endowed with superior qualities by virtue of his government post. He is no more virtuous than the private expert; indeed, he is inherently less capable and is more inclined to wield coercive force. But while the private expert has every pecuniary incentive to care about his clients or patients, the government expert has no incentive whatever. He obtains his revenue in any event. He is devoid of any incentive to worry about his subject’s true interests.”

He does not say that a given governmental official cannot care, only that there is an inequality of incentive and accountability. That’s an unavoidable fact. And, over time, the lack of incentive and accountability, over time, over individuals, makes itself known.

Ultimately, it is about accountability. Those in the free market are always held to a higher standard of accountability because the “beneficiary” a/k/a customer is free to not avail themselves of such free market products or services. That’s choice which is the same as power.

Obviously, this is not the case with government where the “beneficiary” is the constituent. We are not always free to choose. In fact, we are very often forced. Mob rule controls. We go with the program or we are penalized – regardless of our agreement or acceptance of the program. That is less choice and therefore less power.

Is it any surpise we see the polarity in modern politics?

Some are willing to relinquish their power in favor of more government and some won’t – that’s a problem.

When one gains consent of another, the bar is higher for each and for the good of both. Both consent. Both agree. Both must trust. Both must win. Contrary to what we were taught in public school and often through private universities, force involves no trust. It is simply a smaller group of persons operating through one type of human organizatin known as government to bluntly force its agenda upon the non-consenting constituents.

Contrary to many a modern academic, we don’t need PhDs to fathom what are typically fundamental truths or actions of human nature – what Ludwig von Mises defined as praxeology. It really is that simple. For those of us who are a bit older and presumably wiser, the hard part is unwinding years of indoctrination and separating the good (becuase it wasn’t all bad) from the …really bad, for which there always seems to be some super arbitrary excuse by government or its priveleged interests.

Arbitrariness and justice are mutually exclusive.

What do you see in government that is arbitrary?

Can an unjust organization provide justice?

And, in turn peace?

And, by extension sustainable prosperity?

Is it so hard to understand the disparity in distribution of wealth when government provides cover to Big-Everything?

Can we expect it to change?

And, if not, what can we do?

Ultimately, the consumers will decide because they do know what is best for them.

Note: The views expressed are solely the opinion of the author.
Video/Image source: mises.org
Source:  mises.org

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Filed Under: Accountability, Action, Anarcho-capitalism, Anarchy, Austrian economics, Capitalism, Central Planning, Checks and Balances, Choice, Class Struggle, Decentralization, Diversification, Force, Free market, Free market anarchism, Freedom, Government, Graft, Justice, Murray N. Rothbard, Peace, Politics, Power, Principle, Rothbard, Self-Ownership, Sustainability

December 5, 2017 by SC Striebeck

Can States Compel You to Bake a Cake Against Your Will? The Supreme Court Will Decide.

Can States Compel You to Bake a Cake Against Your Will? The Supreme Court Will Decide.

Masterpiece is the first such case to make it to the justices.

Source: Can States Compel You to Bake a Cake Against Your Will? The Supreme Court Will Decide.  By Stephanie Slade at reason.com

Masterpiece exposes another gross example of democracy/federalism gone bad …which always occurs… given sufficient time.

But more specifically, such cases show the limitation of nearly all laws, but especially those which create arbitrary classes and bright-line definitions that eventually reveal substantial uncertainty, create confusion, and then worse, become the basis for legal conclusions that are beyond absurd …like forcing a baker to bake a cake for someone …for whatever reason. And, not to mention, that such laws are not practically enforceable; thus, a waste of resources.

But perhaps most importantly, affirmation of such laws fuels the expansion of the veiled slavery under which virtually all of us live. I can only pray that SCOTUS doesn’t it take itself too seriously, and relieves us of another pseudo-intellectual juggernaut against those who earn their livelihood through mutual consent versus those that feel compelled to enforce this tripe, and can afford to do so only through the force government because there is no economic check on the theft of taxation.

Note:  The views expressed are solely the opinion of the author.
Conceptual and title source: reason.com
Media source: reason.com
Image source: reason.com; Katherine Mangu-Ward

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Filed Under: Anarcho-capitalism, Anti-American, Anti-Slavery, Central Planning, Checks and Balances, Choice, Decentralization, Democracy, Despotism, Federalism, Force, Free market, Free market anarchism, Freedom, Government, Non-Aggression, Politics, SCOTUS, Self-Ownership, Taxation, Tyranny, United States Constitution

July 9, 2016 by SC Striebeck

The Supreme Court’s New Attack on the Fourth Amendment | Mises Wire

The Supreme Court’s New Attack on the Fourth Amendment | Mises Wire

Source: The Supreme Court’s New Attack on the Fourth Amendment | Mises Wire

In the spirit of Murray N. Rothbard, Fegley’s article exposes the fundamental reasons why the proverbial concept of “checks and balances” between the three branches of American government fails to protect  its constituents …and I would offer, why at fundamental level government is unsustainable and doomed to fail:  because all men are self-interested, regardless of the type of organizational structure from which they work.

Yet this begs the question of organizational structure – which is better?

Government

Non-Profit

Limited liability company

Partnership

Corporation

Sole-Proprietorship

Some would say that it depends.

In truth, they are all “fictions of law” or “creatures of statute”, and thus arbitrary. Nothing is accomplished by these entities unless someone actually does something i.e. digs hole, types a letter, diagnoses cancer or protects your home, etc.

Only individuals think, decide and act – not entities.

All governmental employees provide goods and services too – but because they work for government, they are not held to the higher bar of consensual exchange imposed upon non-governmental employees where the decision “to buy” is left solely to the customer.

Instead, the entire foundation of government and the subsistence of its employees is based upon force. There is no choice whether you want their services; and hence, no basic justice – which is the cornerstone of a peaceful and prosperous culture.

As such, the creation of government (not the services of governance) necessarily creates two groups of people which are held to entirely different standards of care and where the governmental class exists upon the efforts the non-governmental class – like or not – it’s actually a form of serfdom or slavery, not to mention that this sanctioned theft creates an enduring and seemingly ever expanding safe harbor for waste, inefficiency, and corruption.

Yes, the Constitution was a fantastic idea for its time and relative to other systems it has served the country’s constituents well, but time has exposed its deep flaws – namely as Fegley quoted Rothbard, pieces of paper don’t enforce themselves.

Think about it: The Constitution was signed in 1778. Fast forward to today and we can clearly see the metastasis of the U.S. Government and current conflicts of interest such as the debacle du jour: the alleged preferential treatment of Hillary Clinton by the FBI.

Is this result surprising given the rise and fall of so many civilizations?

As we can see, the great system of “checks and balances” is forever flawed by an inherent conflict of interest.

Each branch of government tends to cover the others because they all need each other to maintain the edifice of government and the interest of those who benefit from the status quo.  No conspiracy here – just an expression of human nature.

The only “checks and balances” we really need is the maintenance of the power for each person to decide whether he or she needs any good or service – and for this to be enforced based upon one rule of law – the Non-Aggression Principle.

Note:  The views expressed are solely the opinion of the author.
Conceptual and title source:  Tate Fegley https://mises.org/blog/supreme-court%E2%80%99s-new-attack-fourth-amendment.
Media source:  www.mises.org

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Filed Under: Checks and Balances, Choice, Class Struggle, Government, Human Nature, Non-Aggression Principle, Power, Principle, Serfdom, Slavery, Taxation Tagged With: Legal, Police State, Rule of Law

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