K To Be Crucified

Reply to thread...Is "wasteful" government spending really harmful?

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Here is my problem with your reasoning here:  we're talking about economics.  There is very little that can be nailed down for sure, and we all know this. - JohnfrmClevelan

So what can be nailed down?  Let's see...

You are a limited resource.  I think we can nail this down...can't we?  Or do you want to argue that you are an unlimited resource?  Perhaps you can be in two places at the exact same time?

If you happen to agree that we can, indeed, nail down the fact that you are a limited resource...then what else can we nail down?  Can we nail you down?  If not, then why not?  My guess is that perhaps...maybe...you perceive that it would be a waste of you, a limited resource, to be nailed to...say...a cross.

But...but...we'd have to employ somebody to nail you to a cross.  That's a good thing right?   And, before you could be nailed to a cross, we'd have to have a cross in the first place.  This means that we'd need to hire somebody to cut down a tree, and then we'd have to hire somebody else to build the cross.  Plus...I think we'd need a hole to stick the cross into...so we'd also have to hire somebody to dig the hole.  How many people is that?  At least four?  This is quite a labor intensive endeavor!  Nailing you to a cross would, therefore, stimulate the economy.

Hmmm...do we really need to nail you to the cross though?  Maybe we could nail a frog to the cross instead?  We'd still have to hire at least four people.  Except, I don't think we'd be able to charge as much for admission.  Unless the frog was a prince.  A tiny prince frog nailed to a giant cross.

Not sure if people would believe us though that the frog was a prince.  But do we really care whether people are willing to pay to see a tiny frog nailed to a giant cross?  Not really right?  The economy isn't about using resources to create value for consumers.  The economy is about using resources to stimulate the economy.

It really doesn't matter how resources are used...what matters is that we use them.  This is why it doesn't really matter whether we nail you or a frog to a cross.  You and a frog are perfect substitutes.  You and a cross are perfect substitutes.  We can nail the frog to you...and vice versa.

Actually, you and Napoleon are perfect substitutes...

This means that the terraces of the Champ-de-Mars are ordered first to be built up and then to be torn down. The great Napoleon, it is said, thought he was doing philanthropic work when he had ditches dug and then filled in. He also said: "What difference does the result make? All we need is to see wealth spread among the laboring classes." - Frédéric Bastiat, What Is Seen and What Is Not Seen

Maybe some illustrations would help?

Maybe learning about opportunity cost would help?

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How many different people might be offended by the above illustrations?

1. Christians
2. Liberals
3. Animal rights activists
4. French people?

I'm not trying to be offensive.  Then again, neither am I trying not to be offensive.  I'm just trying really hard to effectively illustrate the absurdity of liberal economics.

When I was creating the illustrations, out of curiosity I googled "Would crucifying liberals stimulate the economy?"  The first result was a blog entry written by the liberal economist Miles Kimball... Quartz #17—>How Italy and the UK Can Stimulate Their Economies Without Further Damaging Their Credit Ratings.

Of course I clicked on the link.  And then I chuckled trying to imagine what would run through Kimball's mind if he checked his blog's traffic sources and saw "Would crucifying liberals stimulate the economy?" listed under "Search Keywords".  He'd have to be at least a little surprised..right?  And then perhaps a bit concerned?  Or would he be more curious than concerned?  Or maybe he would just be offended?

A while back I left a comment on one of his blog entries...maybe this one... No Tax Increase Without Recompense.  He either removed it...or never approved it.  As if my comment was a nail that I had pounded into his coffee table...

Calvin and Hobbes is second only to Charlie Brown and Snoopy.  I read both of them religiously when I was a kid.  So of course the above strip popped into my mind when I was writing my reply to JohnfrmClevelan.  There Calvin is...*WAP WAP WAP*... pounding nails into his mother's coffee table.  His mother freaks out when she discovers what he's doing.  Clearly she's clueless about the immense benefits of liberal economics.  Calvin is obviously crucifying invisible frogs...

Which will obviously stimulate the economy...

Adding them together you get...

Yup.

So how long is going to take before liberals understand that resources should be put to their most valuable uses?

I refuse to believe that it's an impossible mission.  Liberals will laugh at you if you tell them that Kings have divine authority.  Just like they'll laugh at you if you tell them that the earth is flat.  Someday they'll laugh at anybody who tells them that we need impersonal shoppers.

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The song K To Be Last by Sister Vanilla started playing while I was trying to think of a title for this blog entry.  It's a mesmerizing song...but what in the world is she saying?  *Googles for lyrics*  Nobody knows!  I sing along anyways.

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