Jere Krischel
Jul 24, 2017 · 2 min read

Agreed — the system is in fact, so broken that getting back to “normal” would be huge, sudden and radical. But I’m not sure if there is an incremental path forward, simply hoping that the executive will voluntarily reduce regulation. Trump has been moving in the right direction, but I’d consider him quite an anomaly in the executive.

I’m pretty sure most of the tax code is written by congress.

Yes, the tax code is written by congress, but treasury tax regulations are not. My concern is that tax regulations should not be determined by the executive, but rather pass through the legislative process so that people can be held accountable.

What arguments are specious?

Well, specifically that one can claim that the exact same executive order, implemented simply by different presidents, can change in constitutionality. It’s simply an abrogation of judicial prudence to begin saying “it’s unconstitutional when someone I don’t like does it”.

My goal is a prosperous, happy, free and stable society, that limits harm to the poor and vulnerable

All good goals. I hesitate to make any claims about prosperity or happiness, so I’d exclude that from my list of goals, but otherwise, we’re on similar pages.

That being said, I think that a government in its proper place, as per Bastiat, as a protector of private property rights through the use of collective force, is the best way to reach your goal.

So to satisfy me, it’s fine to propose trimming government powers all you want, it’s fine to make markets more free and even to lower taxes, if you can convince me that it’s in service of my goals.

Let me turn that around — what would convince you that larger government doesn’t create prosperity, happiness, freedom, stability, or limits on the harm to the poor and vulnerable? Would failed government programs that reduce wealth convince you? Would lower levels of polled happiness after the application of more regulation convince you? Would more instability of markets and prices after government intervention convince you? Would lack of any progress on poverty after spending over 5 trillion dollars convince you?

I guess I wonder why your default position is such great faith in government, when there are so many poignant examples of government failure to meet your goals.

    Jere Krischel

    Written by

    Socially liberal, fiscally conservative, born again carnivore, musician, firearms instructor and skeptical civil rights activist.

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