Comment on the Commentary of the Day by Donald J. Boudreaux Chairman, Department of George Mason University [email protected] http://www.cafehayek.com

Disclaimer: The following “Letters to the Editor” were sent to the respective publications on the dates indicated. Some were printed but many were not. The original articles that are being commented on may or may not be available on the internet and may require registration or subscription to access if they are. Some of the original articles are syndicated and therefore may have appeared in other publications also.

23 December 2007 a per-capita basis (again The Editor, calculated in 2007 dollars), Times Editor, The Globe the amount of annual 229 West 43rd St. revenue Uncle Sam reaps New York, NY 10036 Dear Editor: for every man, woman, and child in America has risen To the Editor: Robert Weintraub repeats from $5,709 in 1980 to the hackneyed myth that $8,251 today - an increase Alleging that the American Reagan-era cuts in tax of 45 percent. Federal dream is becoming a rates have "led to a culture spending, of course, has nightmare, Bob Herbert of selfishness and, at best, risen even more quotes Andrew Stern's resentful investment in dramatically. observation that Americans anything public" (Letters, today "cannot see where December 23). If "selfish" Americans the jobs of the future are "resent" paying taxes and that will allow their kids to Here are the facts. In 2007 supporting "public" have a better life than they dollars, federal revenue in investments, they're doing had" ("Nightmare Before 1980 was $1.296 trillion. a fabulously poor job of Christmas," December 22). Federal revenue today, at conveying their sentiments Mr. Stern adds that "they're $2.5 trillion, is nearly twice to Washington. not wrong." as large as it was in back then when Reagan was 22 December 2007 But when could Americans first elected President. On of any generation foresee future jobs? Did the 21 December 2007 hundreds of other people - blacksmith in 1890 foresee and while his suit probably jobs in the auto industry? The Editor, The Economist was tailor-made, unlike the Did the corner grocer in 25 St James's Street off-the-rack clothes worn 1940 foresee his son London SW1A 1HG by the rest of us - the prospering as regional United Kingdom actual, experiential, flesh- manager for Wal-Mart? and-blood differences Did the telegram-deliverer SIR: between the billionaire and in 1950 foresee his child that of any of the middle- designing software for cell- Three cheers for class persons in the room phones? Did the local Lexington's clear-eyed are tiny compared to the pharmacist in 1960 foresee report on growing material experiential differences his daughter's job as a bio- equality in America ("The that separated the rich medical engineer? new (improved) Gilded from the poor just three or Age," December 22). His four generations ago. Our inability today to see report calls to mind a the details of the future is recent experience of mine. 21 December 2007 no more worrisome than was the same inability of With about 20 other Editor, our grandparents. persons, I sat in the same room for hours with an Dear Editor: American multi-billionaire. It dawned on me after Robert Kuttner is foolish to some minutes that, had I worry that, as foreigners been uninformed that the invest heavily in non- well-dressed and well- government assets in spoken gentleman in America, "more dividend question is a billionaire, I and interest payments will could not have inferred the flow out of the United size of his portfolio from States" ("America's looking at him. To all economic perfect storm," appearances, he was December 21). dressed, coiffed, shod, and bejeweled no more First, by building and luxuriously than were any improving businesses - and of the college professors by promoting R&D and and graduate students in worker training - many of the room. Everyone in that these investments room appeared to be - and CREATE capital in the U.S. likely was - as healthy and Foreigners who invest as well-cleansed as was wisely in these ways of the billionaire. Sure, he course earn returns on likely has his own personal their investments, but jet while the rest of us, many of these dividend when we fly, must share and interest payments commercial planes with would simply not otherwise exist because the capital Friends, Guides-Business- that generates them would Economics/dp/031334213 not otherwise exist. My book, , hit X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UT the shelves yesterday. It's F8&s=books&qid=1198063 Second, the "flow out" an utterly engaging, 274&sr=1-3 allegation is misleading. provocative, witty, Dollars paid as dividends charming, and brilliant Seriously, thanks to all of and interest to foreigners exploration of human you for enduring my are useful to foreigners sexuality, music, wine, and missives during the year. only because these dollars celebrity gossip, reaching a Happy holidays to you all! can be spent or re-invested crescendo in the final in America. These dollars chapter's five easy steps to 19 December 2007 return to America, in one guaranteed financial form or another, no less independence, peace of Editor, The Baltimore Sun than if they had been paid mind, a long life, perfect as dividends and interest to health, ideal children, Dear Editor: Americans. worldwide professional acclaim, and much better Kenneth Lewis argues that 20 December 2007 sex. the only way to sustain oyster populations in the Editor, Washington Post Okay, that's something of Chesapeake Bay is to 1150 15th St., NW an exaggeration. It's this impose "a moratorium on Washington, DC 20071 economist's relatively brief the taking of oysters" explanation of the whys (Letters, December 19). Dear Editor: and the consequences of globalization. (I hope that Mr. Lewis is mistaken. Steven McDonald is I'm not giving away the While disease and "surprised" that Reps. Tom punch line when I admit pollutants affect oysters Davis and Jim Moran here that I favor widely, economist Michael "pander" to voters "rather globalization!) De Alessi found that in than spend their time places where oyster beds attempting to resolve the I encourage each of you to are private, such as budget issue" (Letters, buy several copies. (At Washington state, oyster December 20). $55 it's rather expensive, populations are thriving. but, hey, you live only Oyster populations are Yep, discovering that once!) It makes a great gift imperiled most seriously in politicians behave like for Christmas, Hanukkah, places, such as Maryland, politicians is a real shocker Ramadan, Kwanza, Easter, that reject privatization of - on par with discovering Halloween, Thanksgiving, oyster beds. [ Michael De that wolves howl and and (especially) Flag Day Alessi, "Fishing for pigsties stink. and Labor Day. Friends Solutions," in Ronald will thank you eternally for Bailey, ed., Earth Report such a gift! 2000. (New York: McGraw- Hill, 2000)] http://www.amazon.com/Gl obalization-Greenwood- The best step that 17 December 2007 freer trade hurts America legislators in Annapolis can ("It's the Politics, Stupid," take to save oysters is to Editor, The December 16). First, free allow fishermen to Journal trade has "accelerated the establish private property 200 Liberty Street decline of American rights over beds. New York, NY 10281 industry." Second, "clearing aside trade 18 December 2007 To the Editor: barriers can leave you dangerously exposed when The Editor, The Economist Trying to justify many of your trading 25 St James's Street government support of partners - especially in London SW1A 1HG agriculture, Gary Owens East Asia - don't United Kingdom asserts that before Uncle reciprocate." Sam started milking SIR: taxpayers for the benefit of The first claim is simply farmers, "if weather or false. Real GDP in the You praise Hillary Clinton disease interfered with U.S. is 51 percent higher for being "hard working" yields, [a farmer's] only today than it was in 1993, ("The triumph of hope over option was to borrow again the year before NAFTA experience?" December and try the following year." took effect. Some decline. 15). No doubt she is - but for what purpose? Sen. Not so. Farmers could buy The second claim is Clinton certainly works insurance from private preposterous. Starting in hard at the business of cooperatives and 1990, Japan - not the U.S. securing high political companies. - lingered in no-growth office, first for her husband misery for nearly 15 years. and now for herself. It's appalling that so much And East Asian economies of the popular support for - not the U.S. - famously What is most odious about government support of suffered financial each of the Clintons is farmers is founded on meltdowns in 1997. precisely their single- myths, superstitions, and minded devotion to the plain ignorance. 12 December 2007 task of obtaining power and the foolish glory that 16 December 2007 Editor, Washington Post surrounds its holders. So a 1150 15th St., NW "hard working" Hillary The Editor, New York Washington, DC 20071 Clinton is as appealing as Times Book Review is a hard-working Vladimir 229 West 43rd St. Dear Editor: Putin or a burning-the- New York, NY 10036 midnight-oil Eva Peron. That herald of "heroic To the Editor: conservatism," Michael Gerson, champions active Noam Scheiber's offers two government with this swipe reasons why Robert at laissez faire: "A concern Kuttner is correct to argue for the rights of the poor that the 1990s' move to and vulnerable is not simply 'theological'; it is a measure of our humanity. And skepticism in this noble cause is not sophistication; it seems more like exhaustion and cynicism" ("The Heart of Conservatism,” December 12).

The great error of Mr. Gerson and other opponents of laissez faire - be they conservative or "liberal" - is to mistake government for society. No one this side of sociopathy is indifferent to the rights of the poor and vulnerable. The pressing question is which institutions will best protect those rights. Right or wrong, those of us who oppose the welfare-and- regulatory state do so not because we are unconcerned with others, but because we have reason to believe that freer markets and voluntary civil society are far more effective than is political action at promoting human prosperity and dignity.