Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site cvl.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!cas From: cas@cvl.UUCP (Cliff Shaffer) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: More Spread the Wealth - (nf) Message-ID: <789@cvl.UUCP> Date: Fri, 16-Dec-83 14:54:29 EST Article-I.D.: cvl.789 Posted: Fri Dec 16 14:54:29 1983 Date-Received: Sun, 18-Dec-83 03:06:37 EST References: <612@inmet.UUCP> <446@pyuxa.UUCP> Organization: U. of Md. Computer Vision Lab Lines: 24 To T. (spreading it a little deeper) Wheeler I think that the infamous "bridge analogy" is not making a judgement on the merits of bridges, nor saying that independant contractors don't do the work. Rather, it points out that every penny spent by the government comes from the tax-payers. This means that those dollars are used for what the government wishes to use them for, as oppossed to what the tax-payer would otherwise have used them for - presumably consumer goods. So the important question, when you give money to the government, is "Is what the government is spending my money on more beneficial to me than what I would have spent my money on?" Of course, defining "beneficial" in this case is difficult. Now, I think you are getting a lot of unfavorable response about your original argument on missle silos because many people have decided that more missle silos are not of as much benefit to them as either the equivelent consumer goods, or alternatively other uses the government might put to the same dollars. On another point - I don't believe the Carter administration cut government spending, merely resuffled it slightly (certainly the budget increased). You can't blame the recession on that! Cliff Shaffer {we13,mcnc,seismo}!rlgvax!cvl!cas