Know Your Role... (Part I)

So, what is the role of government? My buddy Ben and I discussed that very topic a couple of days ago on Gmail chat (during work hours, I might add - I'm such a rebel). Just to frame it, the more perceptive of you has probably ascertained that I'm an Obama supporter. Ben, on the other hand, is essentially a Libertarian (he was for Ron Paul during the Republican primaries).

11:41 AM Ben: i'm not saying to get rid of govt altogether

but that free markets are a better solution to aiding the poor than govt intervention

esp with a population that isn't stingy but actually the most generous in the history of humanity

11:42 AM me: on paper and in some cases (maybe many cases) that's true

11:43 AM but just like government jacks stuff up when it becomes about government, the free market is easily swayed by greed as well, no?

Ben: yes, but part of the beauty of free markets is that often one man's greed inadvertently aids many others

11:44 AM individuals acting in their own self interest often aid others without knowing

and i don't think greed is a civil offense until it leads to an actual crime

11:45 AM me: on the surface that doesn't sound very neighborly

Ben: for sure. i'm just talking about in the worst case scenario

11:46 AM so even the bottom feeders in a free market can accidentally do good. that's not taking into account the businessmen who actually give a crap about other humans

you don't get that in a socialistic or govt controlled economy

many of the policies that are intended to help just hurt

11:47 AM me: so what about some sort of balance

not a completely free market and not a socialist regime?

Find out what Ben had to say about that in Part II.