Also: America's Workers Need to Stop Voting for Demagogues

[Empowering the New American Worker] Scott Lincicome has an op-ed at the WSJ, adapted (I think) from his introduction to a new book from Cato, Empowering the New American Worker, which he edited: America’s Workers Need Freedom, Not More Government.

‘Standing up for the American worker” has long been a slogan synonymous with bigger government in Washington. In the wake of the pandemic, this pro-worker chorus has become loud and bipartisan—trumpeting tariffs, wage subsidies, benefits mandates and stricter labor regulations. Its champions have coalesced on the assumption that “free markets” have failed the working class. Their proposed interventions, therefore, might be one of the few areas of policy agreement in the next U.S. Congress.

That would be a big mistake.

For starters, there has never been a Golden Age in which everything was perfect for American workers and their families. Trade-offs among work, life and family have always existed and always will. Government can’t change this reality.

Scott rattles off some "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you" policies that do anything but: tariffs that might benefit a sliver of businesses, while hurting everyone else; housing regulations that make it difficult to find housing convenient to workplaces; occupational licensing gone wild; and many more.

Much of the book can be read for free at Cato (click the book cover at your right). Or you can shell out for the dead-trees version to be released in January.


Last Modified 2024-01-30 7:11 AM EDT