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There are plenty of people that think the government has unlimited money and should spend it on the people. These people don't know that it is literal wealth t

by 300bps 13y ago

There are plenty of people that think the government has unlimited money and should spend it on the people. These people don't know that it is literal wealth transfer from one person to another with the government acting as middle man. Sure, you may realize that this is the case but many people don't. It's the same mentality that leads people to believe that insurance companies should pay for everything until they realize that it is other insurance company customers (including thenselves) that actually foot the bill for it.

mikeash 13y ago
Do any of those people post on HN?
- ceol 13y ago
  Or exist, for that matter?
  - tomjen3 13y ago
    You would be surprised about how many people don't realize that or who choose to ignore it. My aunt for example really doesn't understand that the government has any limits on their funds at all. She proposed to me that shopaholics should be given money by the government to found their addiction.
  - protomyth 13y ago
    If you ever have the misfortune to work near or in social services, then you realize yes they exist and are not an urban myth. Sadly, some government programs encourage the behavior (e.g. "free" cellphones).
    - theorique 13y ago
      "Obama gave me a phone!"
jordan0day 13y ago
> There are plenty of people that think the government has unlimited money Technically, any government that has sovereign control over its currency does have unlimited money. We have examples of governments utilizing this fact to disastrous results, but that doesn't make it less true. > These people don't know that it is literal wealth transfer from one person to another This isn't necessarily true. For state governments or governments that don't have a sovereign, fiat currency, it is true, but not for a national government like the USA federal government. If it were true, all wealth would be a "zero sum game." You're correct about people's misguided perceptions about government spending and insurance companies, but it's also harmful when the pendulum swings too far the other way, and we don't want the government to spend any money because we think it only obtains that money via taxes.
deleted 13y ago
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by 300bps 13y ago

mikeash 13y ago

Do any of those people post on HN?

ceol 13y ago
Or exist, for that matter?
- tomjen3 13y ago
  You would be surprised about how many people don't realize that or who choose to ignore it. My aunt for example really doesn't understand that the government has any limits on their funds at all. She proposed to me that shopaholics should be given money by the government to found their addiction.
- protomyth 13y ago
  If you ever have the misfortune to work near or in social services, then you realize yes they exist and are not an urban myth. Sadly, some government programs encourage the behavior (e.g. "free" cellphones).
  - theorique 13y ago
    "Obama gave me a phone!"

jordan0day 13y ago

> There are plenty of people that think the government has unlimited money Technically, any government that has sovereign control over its currency does have unlimited money. We have examples of governments utilizing this fact to disastrous results, but that doesn't make it less true. > These people don't know that it is literal wealth transfer from one person to another This isn't necessarily true. For state governments or governments that don't have a sovereign, fiat currency, it is true, but not for a national government like the USA federal government. If it were true, all wealth would be a "zero sum game." You're correct about people's misguided perceptions about government spending and insurance companies, but it's also harmful when the pendulum swings too far the other way, and we don't want the government to spend any money because we think it only obtains that money via taxes.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]