Conversation

We should view government as the service provider of last resort. If you can't afford private education & security, you have public schools and police. Problem is government charges us for its services even when we don't want them, reducing our financial ability to choose.

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Adam Nash

@adamnash

Aug 5, 2020

One way to think about it financially is that the government provides citizens with a call option on services that are available when needed. That option is valuable, and so taxes are needed regardless of whether you exercise the option or not.

Dan Held

@danheld

Aug 5, 2020

Citizens pay an extremely overpriced premium though.

Adam Nash

@adamnash

Aug 5, 2020

That's an interesting debate, to be sure. We can't ignore the fact that in a progressive system, those with more money effectively pay the premium for those with less resources.

Replying to

and

We can have a progressive system and the gov can collect taxes and pay for services but it doesn't need to be the provider of services in every instance. How about we give every kid $15k/yr and they can spend it on whatever school they want, and public schools charge $15k/yr.

6:38 PM · Aug 5, 2020Twitter Web App

Replying to

and

I agree. Everything comes down to incentives and currently the government has no incentive to do a good job because it’s not competing for our money in any service. The government has no skin in the game - no downside for doing a lousy job, so it does a lousy job.

William Mollers

@williammollers

Aug 5, 2020

Give me examples of a lousy job. In many instances govt well outperforms industry as they have no need to profit in the short-term, can therefore invest over decades and see bumper returns. Govt = bad is a dangerous path to go down... You might not like the side effects