We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.

Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]

Samizdata quote of the day

At least a few federal agency buildings could be greatly improved by the complete omission of entrances.

Commenter Ferox

6 comments to Samizdata quote of the day

  • NickM

    Enterances? Or exits?

  • Itellyounothing

    Both.

  • Paul Marks

    True.

    As the vast majority of the things the Federal Government now does are unconstitutional – it should not be doing them. Therefore the buildings from which these things are done should not be there.

    Even Mr Alexander Hamilton (the most statist of the Founders) would agree with the above paragraph. He was a big government man compared to other Founders – but he did NOT want to recreate the vast government control of the Emperor Diocletian or the King Louis XIV (the Sun King) – and that is what the Federal Government now is.

  • Dyspeptic Curmudgeon

    There is a great video of an interview with Milton Friedman, from 1999, at:

    http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2011/04/milton-friedman-which-government.html

    Starting about 20 minutes in, he is asked what departments of the US Fed gov should be abolished. His view is that only about four and a half should be kept!

  • Dyspeptic Curmudgeon

    President Grover Cleveland, on vetoing a bill to provide aid to farmers in Texas, 1884.

    ” I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and duty of the general government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit. A prevalent tendency to disregard the limited mission of this power and duty should, I think, be steadfastly resisted, to the end that the lesson should be constantly enforced that, though the people support the government, the government should not support the people.”

    Cleveland apparently vetoed 584 bills (!!!) presented to him by Congress. Pity that that is a record unlikely to be surpassed…

    As to the sentiment expressed, it is unfortunate that consideration of the constitutionality of actions by the government has fallen into desuetude…

    Of course, in other parts of the world, government bodies are not even provided with a framework for such consideration and can do whatever their mob-mind feels is “proper” (eg: UK Green Energy Act…)

  • Paul Marks

    Excellent comments by “Dyspeptic Curmudgeon”.