One Problem with Big Government: Often Run by Crooks and Liars

Presidential candidates are proposing ideas to expand government, including a Green New Deal and Medicare for All. One flaw with such schemes is that they would give government officials large new powers to be exercised not by angels but often by very shady characters.James Madisonwrote that politicians sought office “from 3 motives. 1. ambition 2. personal interest. 3. public good. Unhappily the two first are proved by experience to be most prevalent.”There are news stories every day that buttress Madison ’s point. Here are two that caught my eye.Catherine Pugh: “Personal Interest”–as covered by Brakkton Booker of NPR,After weeks of growing pleas for her to step down, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has resigned,  her attorney said Thursday.… Pugh, a Democrat, is under investigation for alleged “self-dealing” in connection to the sale of thousands of copies of a self-published children’s book series. Many of those sales went to entities that she had influence over or that sought to do business with the city.… The Baltimore Sun reported she has received roughly $800,000 over the years from the sale of the books. Some of the biggest benefactors include the University of Maryland Medical System.UMMS is a private nonprofit for which Pugh served as a board member until mid-March, when she resigned from the position. It paid Pugh roughly $500,000 for copies of the books spread out in five payments from 2012-2018, according to the  Sun.A separate payment by ...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs