Government's Response to the Crisis: A Fantastic Success, for Government | Robert Higgs

[buzongtang]

I mean, the essence of politics is in the decision of who gets what. And of course there is merit to the notion that government programs are successful only insofar as they meet the needs of some but not others, but that statement shouldn't be taken as discounting the value of robust government programs and spending.

As much as I hate those wolves on Wall Street who started the most recent crisis, for instance, the finance sector was on the verge of collapse and needed a big government rescue.

[buzongtang]

@buzongtang

I might also add that, while people are being so paranoid about government intervention in the economic and social lives of Americans, perhaps we should be more paranoid about the idea of a government that can't regulate, that doesn't regulate, and doesn't enforce regulatory standards. One need only look at the Chilean example to see that such libertarian pipe dreams benefit a few wealthy interests but that's about it.

And for the record, GMC is going private again. Too paranoid.

[saildo]

@buzongtang

What? what "Chilean example" ??? Wealth in Chile is following Adam Smith's pie very nicely, thank you.

Have you seen the changes in Santiago cityscape in the last 20 years years? In the last 5?. Every time I visit, I stunned by the explosive growth. In the valley, the city has gone up and up, then the suburbs with their pretty homes and lawns have spilled over the walls of the hills and continue to extend. The infrastructure continues to evolve throughout the nation. awesome!

[Dragdamar]

@buzongtang Regulation is part of the market. If a company produced shoddy good, the consumer doesn't buy said good. As it stands right now only the Government sanctioned producers get to market their goods and those good s are protected from public sanction because there is no other choice of said goods. Monopolies are evil, especially when they are enforced by the Government.

To much kool-aid.

[Hivento]

@Dragdamar mercantilism

[WNDC]

@JEnnieWalsh - I smell therapy in your future. Don't forget to leave Santa Clause some cookies.

[Dragdamar]

@WNDC I condensation in your present.

[hetube09]

now what you gona do with this infos?

power has the same pattern as gravity does...

you need to take back, what governs you. first to the state then to the local and into your community, in your home, in yourself. you are the boss and they are your servant...police, politicans, all are servants at your service, get it? do it and not demad it as a begger but as a boss which you are...inteligence is needed to drive the chose in action guided with faith.

[JennieWalsh]

Jesus said, “Ye have sold yourselves for naught; ye will be redeemed without money and without price". Pray that the victory of the children of God will be swift. Call forth the judgment of Almighty God that all the destructive creations and destructive actions of the Satanists, the international bankster gangsters, will be returned back upon them as quickly as possible to their own destruction. Please forward this message, this plea, for the judgment of the wicked on earth.

God is Victory!

[Slavestorms]

What was it Don Henley said? It was an inside job, like it always is. Just chalk it up to business as usual. You think you're so smart but you don't have a #ucking clue, what those men up in the towers are doing to me and you and they'll keep doing it and doing it until we all wake up wake up wake up

Artists can paint a fairly clear picture of the society around them but are people looking, listening, even paying attention? No they are paying for a happy meal with a credit card, attention fixed

[caltrop69]

Holy cow, that scared me...I thought he said, "...When Lew Rockwell died unexpectedly..."

Time to buy a hearing device, I suppose.

[Paetaor]

His podcast on EconTalk dot org with Russ Roberts is fantastic.

[maskedphrogg]

@Paetaor

When was that? I am subbed to EconTalk w/Russ Roberts in iTunes. Can't find any interview w/Robert Higgs. Do you mean _Higgs on the Great Depression_? That one in Dec2008 is a few months prior to my finding EconTalk. I bet it's a refreshingly honest look at the GD, unlike most commonly espoused viewpoints. Russ Roberts is sounding like a closet Keynesian in recent weeks. Perhaps I'm not understanding him clearly.

[Paetaor]

@maskedphrogg That's the one. I have most of the .mp3s from Econtalk on my player.

My favorites are with Mike Munger,

[dennis345]

Not only did Mary McCarthy say that (17:00) about Lillian Hellman ("every word she says is a lie, including 'and' and 'the.'"), but Hellman sued her for slander. McCarthy made it plain she would use truth as a defense, and Hellman's executors later dropped the suit.

[StrafingMoose]

On what Bob says and the end regarding state workers doing better; I can attest to that here from where I live. The number of government workers making a 6 figures salary has increased 40% since 2006. Insane. The market and general buying power goes down, where do you think it went uh ?

[Eschaton2150]

Gee, this doesn't sound like what they told me in high school.

[knowthingman]

creepy....this was exactly the subject and conclusion of my vid that i posted weeks before this conference called social engineering and intentional "dysfunctionism".

[efrem1]

Delightful lecture!!

[kmg501]

Wow!, fantastic points. Specifically how the government is getting EXACTLY what it wants.

I'm very impressed with Bob Higgs.

[JETZcorp]

One small correction here. The government did not take over Chrysler. They own less than 10% of Chrysler stock, which is less than half of what Fiat owns (20%) and less than a quarter of what the United Auto Union owns (68%). The government's real role in the Chrysler thing was financing for the Fiat deal. I can assure you, there ain't no bureaucrat behind the 6.4L Hemi. General Motors is a different story - the US Treasury has a more than 60% stake in GM stock.

[croemar]

thank you for the great work you do at the Mises Institute, and for sharing with us

[qadison]

Sometimes he sounds like Tom Hanks. I always enjoy Mr. Higgs' talks.

[utubehayter]

@qadison

lol! I did not notice that until you mentioned it.

[lordcrull]

How would the local police benefit?

[maskedphrogg]

@lordcrull

Local PDs benefit by having their agenda set for them, relieves them of the work of setting priorities, and the States follow in pursuit of plying the War on (some) Drugs by passing Law that allows PDs to confiscate property. The War on (some) Drugs on a local level now becomes the pursuit of property assets that the PD can retain.

[jameshuntx]

grat!

[Sideshowbobx]

The institute has become an institution therefore! Leaving an institute to the world that spreads enlightenment - what a great bequest that lives on!!