Maggie's Farm

A short while ago, Arnold Kling wrote a good piece about the growth industries in Western countries, especially the US. I cannot find that link right now.

They turn out to be Government, Education, and Health Care. I find it illuminating to view these sectors of life as industries: consumer-oriented service industries, largely unproductive, with the first two pandering to and trying to manipulate their customers and the third, well, in flux but it actually does produce things: artificial knees, medicines, treatments, stents for my friends, etc. - things that might help people be productive and independent.

All three have brilliant, expensive marketing machines - and all three are heavily subsidized if not totally paid for by the taxpayer. Who is paying the bills for these subsidies now? The Chinese - the reason we were supposed to eat our spinach as kids. They are paying those bills. We owe them, big time.

Or do they own us? Think about it: Chinese people are paying for our Medicare and our "stimuli"... It is pathetic.