What lies beneath
1 July 2009 by Christopher SuleskeGary DeMar at the American Vision blog has a good primer piece on the Judeo-Christian foundation behind free-market economics (and one can argue the secular-humanist crumbly foundation beneath socialism). Salient nugget concerning Americans of today:
The average American has only vague notions of these ideas. While most Americans would agree that stealing is wrong, they don’t seem to have a problem if some other entity steals for them. Consider this series of examples. If John has a financial need, would it be right for him to rob his neighbors to supply that need? Most people would say no. Would it be right for John to get some of his friends to steal for him? Again, most people would say no. What if John convinces enough people to create a civil government that takes money from his neighbors to pay for things John and others need? Now the picture changes, and I suspect that a lot of people would not call it theft because they are getting a benefit.
The free market is counter intuitive for many people, especially politicians, many of whom have never owned a business. Passing laws for society and exempting themselves is standard fare in Washington. When Social Security was made law, Congress exempted itself and other government employees by developing their own private retirement programs. This changed in 1983 for new government employees.