from Amazon
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Unintended consequences or the price that some people pay for something that is good?
Non-sports post.
I just got home from a 3-day golf school. I had an ongoing political discussion with one of the other participants. He is a CEO of a textile corporation. He hates Obama and the democrats and their “policies,” at least as he sees and interprets them. At one point, I asked him if it was fair to judge these policies from the perspective of a rich white guy, which he was, rather than the effect that they might have on the country and the world as a whole. I said, “After all, rich, white guys comprise only 1/10 of one percent of the world’s population (I don’t know the real number). Wouldn’t it be ridiculous for governments to tailor their public policies to favor them?” (Of course one of the problems with government is that most policies, programs and laws are formulated and implemented by rich, white guys.)
Anyway, lately there is lots of discussion and controversy about the “cash for clunkers” program. Used care dealers, parts dealers, and charities are complaining. Now, normally it is not a good thing to intentionally destroy useful items, but in this case, the reason we are doing so is to reduce pollution, reduce fossil fuel consumption, and perhaps stimulate the new car business.
Here is a quote from a used-car (clunkers) dealer that really made me laugh, annoyed me, and illustrated one of my points:
Before Cash for Clunkers, Jerry Frazier, owner of Save-A-Lot Motors in Cairo, Ga., bought most of his cars from local new car dealers, but “the cars I normally buy they are now crushing, so my source of cars is drying up.”
“I think it’s the worst thing we’ve ever done,” he said.
Because HE is being hurt, he says that it is the worst thing that WE have ever done! That is a little like a bank robber saying that, “Making bank robbing illegal is the worst thing that WE have ever done.”
Just once, I’d like to see people judge things from the perspective of what is good for society as a whole and not just what is good for them. I realize that everyone has an inclination to do the latter. I have to force myself not to. For example I pay A LOT of income taxes, but I am not opposed to high tax rates if I think that the money is going toward worthy causes. For example, I am more than happy to pay more taxes if that means decent health care for ALL Americans, especially the ones who DON’T pay much income tax because they don’t make much money and can’t afford private health care.
I am NOT commenting on whether I think the cash for clunkers program is good or bad. It just cracks me up and annoys me at the same time when people start arguments and controversy based on what is good for THEM. The ONLY discussion about this program should be what’s good for this country and for the world as a whole. And I realize that it is often difficult to gauge that. I also realize that it helps to have the perspective of people and groups that are affected by something. But that is different than those people or groups proclaiming that some policy or program is good or bad based upon whether it hurts or helps them.