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Sure, but to a general at HQ, 1 dead soldier is better than 10. The policy is devastating to that 1 soldier (and family), but that's not enough reason to adopt

Sure, but to a general at HQ, 1 dead soldier is better than 10. The policy is devastating to that 1 soldier (and family), but that's not enough reason to adopt an opposing policy that would save the 1 but kill the 10. Similarly, I can appreciate the logic in making American companies less likely to be targeted by ransom hackers, even if it means some companies are hit harder in the short term.

nickff 6y ago
You've made the implicit assumption that it is acceptable and desirable for the government to sacrifice some companies to save some others. I'm not so sure that's the government's business, and it sounds a lot like a taking to me. Perhaps it is acceptable in the era of Kelo.
- marcosdumay 6y ago
  > You've made the implicit assumption that it is acceptable and desirable for the government to sacrifice some companies to save some others. That's how governments operate. Every time a government "sneezes" is harms some companies and benefits others.
  - nickff 6y ago
    No, when governments provide public goods (their most widely-accepted role), they are not picking companies out for the gallows.
    - mandelbrotwurst 6y ago
      In that case I'm sure you won't mind if we repave all of the roads to my store twice as often and let the ones you rely on fall apart.
      - nickff 6y ago
        Roads are not exactly public goods, and can be 'club goods' or something between the two; the Wikipedia definition matrix has some nice examples, and the page is quite good overall: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good_(economics)#Definition_matrix https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good_(economics)#Defini...
        mandelbrotwurst 6y ago
        OK, fair, although even with the example public goods listed in that Wikipedia page their provision in reality still does end up supporting certain companies and harming others - e.g. if I'm in the business of selling air purifiers, government efforts to reduce air pollution are going to negatively impact my sales.
        nickff 6y ago
        I totally agree that government policy can shape the market, and my issue is not at all with that happening as a by-product of public goods, but only when it is a direct and deliberate action.
        mandelbrotwurst 6y ago
        Got it. I think where I lost you was in your use of "picking companies out" - I didn't realize that you meant only intentionally as opposed to incidentally.

nickff 6y ago

You've made the implicit assumption that it is acceptable and desirable for the government to sacrifice some companies to save some others. I'm not so sure that's the government's business, and it sounds a lot like a taking to me. Perhaps it is acceptable in the era of Kelo.

marcosdumay 6y ago
> You've made the implicit assumption that it is acceptable and desirable for the government to sacrifice some companies to save some others. That's how governments operate. Every time a government "sneezes" is harms some companies and benefits others.
- nickff 6y ago
  No, when governments provide public goods (their most widely-accepted role), they are not picking companies out for the gallows.
  - mandelbrotwurst 6y ago
    In that case I'm sure you won't mind if we repave all of the roads to my store twice as often and let the ones you rely on fall apart.
    - nickff 6y ago
      Roads are not exactly public goods, and can be 'club goods' or something between the two; the Wikipedia definition matrix has some nice examples, and the page is quite good overall: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good_(economics)#Definition_matrix https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good_(economics)#Defini...
      - mandelbrotwurst 6y ago
        OK, fair, although even with the example public goods listed in that Wikipedia page their provision in reality still does end up supporting certain companies and harming others - e.g. if I'm in the business of selling air purifiers, government efforts to reduce air pollution are going to negatively impact my sales.
        nickff 6y ago
        I totally agree that government policy can shape the market, and my issue is not at all with that happening as a by-product of public goods, but only when it is a direct and deliberate action.
        mandelbrotwurst 6y ago
        Got it. I think where I lost you was in your use of "picking companies out" - I didn't realize that you meant only intentionally as opposed to incidentally.