Capitalism and Freedom

I just finished one of the most informing books I have ever read. It is a must read for anyone who cares about economics. Capitalism and Freedom is written by the most notable American Economist in history. It was written in 1962 and explains the differences between good sound capitalistic policies and well intentioned by miserable big government policies.

It amazes me to see the ignorance of so many Americans who tend to want to vote for a politician that pushes for policies that are well intentioned but have been failing for years. We live in a country that spends half a trillion dollars a year on income redistribution programs such as welfare, social security, Medicare, Medicaid, public housing and more. America has roughly a population of 300 million today. That is between 70 and 100 million families. Of those families how many do you think need welfare or government assistance? Allow me to put that number at say the bottom 33%. I don’t like income redistribution programs that are government ran to help the poor. But our country has been doing it for years now. If you do the math that is $500,000,000,000 a year spent on between 22 and 34 million families. If you divide 500 billion by 30 million you will come up with more than 16,000. That is $16000.00 per family in government help. That is a full time minimum wage job type pay. Yet do you think that those families live as if they are better off by $16,500? I don’t.

How much does government waste with these worthless government programs that are there with good intentions but I think rather to buy votes. We as a nation could give out $16,500 to each family that is in the bottom 33% income in this country instead of have government run ridiculously wasteful programs that help buy votes for politicians. Poverty is not being removed because politicians continue to implement government programs to make up for the inefficiencies of Capitalism. Maybe the problem is not our economy but the makeup of the American Family. Most poverty exist where addiction to drugs and alcohol exist. Most poverty exists in families that are hit with divorce. Most poverty exists where single moms are young and have no education. Empirical evidence shows that it is these government programs that incentivize such broken families and thus poverty.

Capitalism and Freedom explains sound policies that would alleviate most of poverty. It explains in detail what is wrong with government intervention. T he book explains and gives examples of why the Great Depression happened. It shows the reader why government although it serves a purpose, has kept this country from expanding and becoming even richer. I hope that you who plan on voting this year will take a minute to read this book and other books that show evidence condemning the programs you see liberal advocating.