by Richard M. Ebeling
The American Institute for Economic Research
Political election years are viewed in democracies as momentous events in the country’s history. Through ballots rather than bullets are chosen those who will hold political office, and through them the implementation and enforcement of the laws of the land and a variety of government policies considered to be in the “common good” or the “general welfare.” In other words, it is a time when those running for political office promise to citizens and voters a seemingly unending stream of government “goodies” either for what appears to be “for free” or at someone else’s expense, with implied little or no negative effect on the well-being of the society as a whole.
The Democrats and the Republicans place their political wares before the people of the country at their respective national conventions as the kickoffs of the electoral campaign leading up to the presidential voting in November.