Sumitra Shah wrote ("prays"): "In the meantime, I will continue to
listen and hope James will some day realize what a positive role public
funding can play in making us a better society!"
A correction: I appreciate the positive role of public funding for
public goods, properly so defined. That is, goods characterized by
joint-consumption and difficulty of excluding from their consumption
those who would not pay for them -- potential free-riders. Thus,
national defense, the police service, the administration of justice, or
a stable financial environment qualify. It is to the introduction of
activities that properly belong in the private domain of funding, such
as childcare and eldercare, Sumitra advocates, that I do not think
promote "a better society." These take away from personal
responsibility and the efficient utilization of the funds diverted from
income earners to them. I said as much in my previous post.
James Ahiakpor