For example, how do you feel about the completely
unporductive use of gazillions of dollars spent on lobbying?
That also increases profits to the detriment of citizens
interests.


Dave wrote:
Classic example of the kind of unintended consequences to which I referred
earlier. Whenever you put the govmint into Robin Hood mode, transferring
money from one citizen to another to effect some kind of policy goal, you
create the incentive for groups to act in their own interest to persuade law
makers that their cause is a deserving one, and should be on the receiving
end, or should not on the giving end, of the transfers.


I'd be all in favor of putting a stop to it, except that
every single gov't that ever existed, AFAIK, indulged in the
same thing to one degree or another.

Got any practical ideas, or do you just want to torch straw
men some more?

DSK