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Friday, January 29. 2010

Big Government

We linked this piece at Reason earlier this week, but it's worth highlighting. Class War - How public servants became our masters. One quote:



The United States had 2.3 state and local government employees per 100 citizens in 1946 and has 6.5 state and local government employees per 100 citizens now. In 1947, Hodges writes, 78 percent of the national income went to the private sector, 16 percent to the federal sector, and 6 percent to the state and local government sector. Now 54 percent of the economy is private, 28 percent goes to the feds, and 18 percent goes to state and local governments. The trend lines are ominous.



The trend line leads to 100%. Then what?

Posted by The Barrister in Politics at 19:22 | Comments (5) | Trackbacks (0)

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It doesn't need to get to 100% for a "then what." 65% would be enough and the tumble downhill would be much faster.
#1 Rick on 2010-01-29 19:54 (Reply)
http://www.opm.gov/feddata/HistoricalTables/ExecutiveBranchSince1940.asp

Don't you wonder why 1947 was selected? Right after WWII was over and an big downward dive in Fed employment. Maybe overall the ovservation makes a valid point but it comes off as knee-jerk to my liberal mind. Hit your site quite by accident - unlikely to return - but peace be with you anyway.
#2 Hoppy on 2010-01-29 21:43 (Reply)
Since Hoppy won't be back, I'm talking to myself. Frankly, I don't understand what his chart has to do with the price of beans since the article focuses on the increase in governmet employees at state and local level. And it doesn't cover the semi-private job increase brought on by bigger government such as lobbyists, lawyers, CPAs, etc. necessary to deal with these systems or contract workers that depend on the gov't for their jobs.

In other words, there is a whole private sector involved in voting in their favorite alderman, council member, municipal service district rep, etc. Like a Ponzi scheme in that, some time or another, there aren't going to be any people manufacturing goods that can be sold to earn the money that can be taxed to pay for these "service" workers.
#2.1 jma on 2010-01-30 00:07 (Reply)
You mean if everyone gets in the cart there won't be anyone left to pull it?
#2.1.1 Jack on 2010-01-30 15:45 (Reply)
Hoppy makes a fair point, but the principle holds even if you pick 1937 or 1957.

I would be suspicious of H's general goodwill, however. It is my experience that those who sign off on the internet with "Cheers" or "Peace" actually mean "F-you." H's form is a little different, and may be innocent, but my eyebrows are raised.
#3 Assistant Village Idiot (Link) on 2010-01-29 21:53 (Reply)

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