Why we need a more limited government

One of my core beliefs and assumptions is that a good deal of the money that government spends is wasted or spent less efficiently than if the money were left in the private sector. Thus, more government spending only weakens the economy. By the same logic, less government spending would end up strengthening the economy.

The TSA is an excellent example of how government screws things up. Even its creator says it has turned into a monster. Read the whole thing: "TSA Creator Says Dismantle, Privatize the Agency:"

... a decade after the TSA was created following the September 11 attacks, the author of the legislation that established the massive agency grades its performance at “D-.”

“The whole program has been hijacked by bureaucrats,” said Rep. John Mica (R. -Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation Committee. 

Allowing airports to privatize screening was a key element of Mica’s legislation and a report released by the committee in June determined that privatizing those efforts would result in a 40% savings for taxpayers.

“We have thousands of workers trying to do their job. My concern is the bureaucracy we built,” Mica said.

“We are one of the only countries still using this model of security," Mica said, "other than Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, and I think, Libya."

HT: Tom Burger

UPDATE: Reader "Ian" notes an excellent article about how Canada and Sweden have shrunk the size of their governments meaningfully and successfully, and are probably the early leaders in a process that will sweep other countries in the years to come. Here are some choice quotes summarizing the thoughts of economist Vito Tanzi:

The state can’t survive without the market economy – but the market economy cannot survive the excesses of the state. One must yield to save the other. People once advocated government intervention to fix “market failure.” Now people primarily sense “political failure” and look elsewhere for solutions.

Government expanded as long as people perceived it as competent and benevolent. In this period, policy makers – “people who acted on behalf of the State” – were regarded, illusion though it was, as consistently faithful, wise and capable. These policy makers possessed “Solomon’s wisdom, Google’s knowledge and the honesty of saints,” Mr. Tanzi says.

The exit strategy for the state, Mr. Tanzi says, need not be all that difficult. The state, he says, now operates as a monopoly insurance company, insuring almost everyone against almost every risk. It does so inefficiently. Taken as a whole, the welfare state may now be considered delusional. Almost inevitably, it will end in bankruptcy.