http://erinoconnor.org/2009/07/big-government-and-the-language-of-sacrifice/ Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:07:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://erinoconnor.org/2009/07/big-government-and-the-language-of-sacrifice/comment-page-1/#comment-9010 Erin O'Connor Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:14:02 +0000 http://erinoconnor.org/wp/2009/07/big-government-and-the-language-of-sacrifice/#comment-9010 David - My sentiments exactly. "Sacrifice" is the moral cover for a very problematic redistribution of resources. Being self-employed, I notice and feel this sort of thing far more now than I ever did when I was one of thousands on Penn's payroll, insulated by the certainties of its corporate hugeness and then by tenure. I'm tired of listening to people who are insulated from the market--whether they are academics or politicians--tell me how they want to spend the money I bust my ass to earn. I can calculate what I make by the minute. And every minute that I am not working, I do not get paid. No one is buying my health insurance for me, or paying a chunk of my social security tax, or retiring me. I'm doing all that--and I'm doing it against the tide of reckless, self-serving government spending. It's clarifying. David – My sentiments exactly. “Sacrifice” is the moral cover for a very problematic redistribution of resources. Being self-employed, I notice and feel this sort of thing far more now than I ever did when I was one of thousands on Penn’s payroll, insulated by the certainties of its corporate hugeness and then by tenure. I’m tired of listening to people who are insulated from the market–whether they are academics or politicians–tell me how they want to spend the money I bust my ass to earn. I can calculate what I make by the minute. And every minute that I am not working, I do not get paid. No one is buying my health insurance for me, or paying a chunk of my social security tax, or retiring me. I’m doing all that–and I’m doing it against the tide of reckless, self-serving government spending. It’s clarifying.

]]> http://erinoconnor.org/2009/07/big-government-and-the-language-of-sacrifice/comment-page-1/#comment-9009 david foster Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:03:11 +0000 http://erinoconnor.org/wp/2009/07/big-government-and-the-language-of-sacrifice/#comment-9009 Obama may talk about sacrifice, but there are plenty of people who will profit greatly...in terms of money, power, and prestige...from his policies. Expansion of government, for instance, means that the market value of having been a Congressperson or a senior government official goes up greatly, and the consulting or legal fees these people can collect post-retirement will be higher. Expansion of government is also very profitable for lobbyists and for lawyers with a regulatory practice, also for corporations with the right connections. University and K-12 administrators are likely to see continued increases in their incomes as more money is directed toward their institutions. Expensive restaurants in the DC area are pretty full these days. You mention the Civil War. I'm not a Lincoln expert, but I believe that if he could somehow have brought the Civil War to a succesful conclusion by personally fighting and dying on the front lines, he probably would have done so. I don't see any reason to believe that is the attitude of very many members of the present governing class. Obama may talk about sacrifice, but there are plenty of people who will profit greatly…in terms of money, power, and prestige…from his policies. Expansion of government, for instance, means that the market value of having been a Congressperson or a senior government official goes up greatly, and the consulting or legal fees these people can collect post-retirement will be higher. Expansion of government is also very profitable for lobbyists and for lawyers with a regulatory practice, also for corporations with the right connections. University and K-12 administrators are likely to see continued increases in their incomes as more money is directed toward their institutions.
Expensive restaurants in the DC area are pretty full these days.
You mention the Civil War. I’m not a Lincoln expert, but I believe that if he could somehow have brought the Civil War to a succesful conclusion by personally fighting and dying on the front lines, he probably would have done so. I don’t see any reason to believe that is the attitude of very many members of the present governing class.

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