Addicted to the Nanny State; Politicians are Like Pushers

Here is an email from reader Buck Novak in response to Misguided Views of Libertarian Economics and the Alternative "Regulation" Model

Buck writes ...

Hello Mish

I find it interesting that people who hate big corporations embrace the ever-growing nanny state. The reality is the nanny state is nothing but a gigantic corporation that hires those who would not be hired in the private workforce at prices far more than they are worth.

In many respects, government is no different than big business. Governments, like business want to grow. Bureaucrats always want more employees and bigger budgets.

The difference is the nanny state is run by politics not by profit. It is run for a political agenda.

If you want a perfect example of a corporation too big to succeed, it's the government.

Take a look at those protesting in Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio and elsewhere.

Who is protesting government cuts? Why it's government employees. They protest for their benefit, not the benefit of the public at large and they want government to use even more force to take what it needs.

What does it take to stop the madness?

The Ever-Growing Nanny State

Through a process of extortion, coercion, and vote buying, a population too dumb to figure out what is really going on becomes addicted to the nanny state. The only ones who benefit are the politicians and the nanny employees. They are in bed with each other.

Unfortunately, misguided souls buy into the propaganda of the politicians and the public unions and clamor for more "nannyism" even though the process makes slaves out of everyone.

Students are especially prone to supporting the nanny state in return for student loans that make those same students debt slaves for life.

For more on the slavery aspect of public unions and collective bargaining advocates, please see

1. Paul Krugman, Stephen Colbert, Bill Maher, others, Ignore Extortion, Bribery, Coercion, and Slavery; No One Should Own You!


2. Collective Bargaining neither a Privilege nor a Right

There is one major difference between private business and the nanny business. Huge mistakes will eventually force big businesses out of business. However, the bigger the mistakes of the nanny state, the faster it grows. The current $1.6 trillion deficit should be proof enough.

Stopping the Madness

What does it take to stop the madness?

It takes people willing to be involved. It takes leadership from Congress. It takes politicians willing to stand up to the public unions whose mission it is to addict everyone on nanny drugs.

There is one other thing that would crash the nanny state: Force of the market.

Greece is the perfect example. Unless we want to become like Greece, we must take action to halt the nanny state now.

Politicians are Like Pushers

Public union employees and those addicted to the nanny state need an ever-increasing "fix". They are like drug addicts, and politicians are like pushers.

Think about drug addicts willing to do anything for their daily fix. Addicts will coerce, bribe, or steal to get what they want. Public unions are no different.

Those not addicted are not equally motivated. Indeed, no one is as motivated as a drug addict in need of a fix. Like pushers, politicians supply the "fix" in return for votes. Thus, overcoming inertia of the nanny state and its addicts is difficult.

I commend those like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Senator Rand Paul, Congressman Ron Paul, and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker for their efforts to rein in the nanny state. It's not an easy process. Those addicted to the nanny state are willing to do anything to get their fix.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
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