Why politicians don't cut spending

Picture a policy taking a penny from a million people, giving $10,000 to one. Will a million notice the penny loss? Probably not, but the recipient will definitely rejoice.

Now, imagine politicians promising spending cuts, desired by voters. But the specifics reveal a dispersed benefit and concentrated cost. The chances of your single vote changing the outcome of an election is near zero, more likely to meet with an accident on your way to vote.

And here's the twist: voters largely stay uninformed of these policies, while interest groups, directly impacted by these policies, stay well-informed. Take farmers receiving subsidies: they know which politicians back them, they support these politicians financially, ensuring their subsidies stay intact.

However, the cost of these subsidies, spread among average Americans, goes unnoticed. Propaganda makes them feel good about supporting farmers, oblivious to the inefficiencies. These interest groups don't just lobby to get benefits but to maintain them. And that's why, despite popular sentiment, spending never decreases.

LEARN LIBERTY:
Your resource for exploring the ideas of a free society. We tackle big questions about what makes a society free or prosperous and how we can improve the world we live in. Watch more at http://www.learnliberty.org/.

Видео Why politicians don't cut spending канала Learn Liberty