Handouts to corporations distort the market, breed corruption, and politicize the economy.
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Lastmonth,DepartmentofGovernmentEfficiency(DOGE)founderElonMuskswungachainsawatagatheringoftheConservativePoliticalActionConferencetodedicatehiscommitmenttoslashingfederalspending.ThepropwasagiftfromArgentina’slibertarianPresidentJavierMileiandrepresentedthetwomen’ssharedvisionofsmaller,leanergovernment.TheDOGEisofftoarespectablestart,butthere’salotmorewastefulanddamagingspendingthatcouldbenefitfromadoseofchainsaw.Consider,forexample,thegrants,subsidies,andtaxbreaksthatfallundertheumbrellaofcorporatewelfare.
ThrowingGoldBarsOfftheTitanic“We’rejusttryingtogetthemoneyoutasfastaspossiblebeforetheycomeinandstopitall,”BrentEfronoftheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)toldanundercoverinterviewerafterlastyear’selection.“Ittrulyfeelslikewe’reontheTitanic.We’rethrowinggoldbarsofftheedge.”
Those“goldbars,”Efronexplained,wentoutthedoort
