Comments on: Nudge Me Tender: A Discussion on Libertarian Paternalism http://americasfuture.org/blog/2009/02/nudge-me-tender-a-discusion-on-libertarian-paternalism/ A network of America's next generation of classical liberal leaders Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:43:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Tannim http://americasfuture.org/blog/2009/02/nudge-me-tender-a-discusion-on-libertarian-paternalism/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Tannim Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:44:23 +0000 http://americasfuture.org/?p=1701#comment-55 It's actually quite simple in concept, but to implement requires a huge about-face from the general paradigm and attitude of how government works. The concept is simple: allow free choice, but incentivize the better choices while not penalizing any other choices. For example, leave the choice of fencing your yard to the you the homeowner, to keep your dog from running loose (and becoming genitally mutilated by the government!), and to keep trespassers out, but incentivize the promotion of protecting your property with a property tax credit or homeowners insurance discount for putting up the fence. A common example we see every day in practice is the "good driver discount" on auto insurance, where you get a rate cut for being a good driver. (What a good driver actually is vs. what the insurance companies think it is is another discussion!) Now, some people with a warped view of things would claim A) that's penalizing the other choices by not incentivizing them as well, and/or B) that's subsidizing the good choices. The rebuttals are simple: A) why reward bad choices? B) There is not any subsidy in allowing you to keep your money in the first place. It’s actually quite simple in concept, but to implement requires a huge about-face from the general paradigm and attitude of how government works.

The concept is simple: allow free choice, but incentivize the better choices while not penalizing any other choices.

For example, leave the choice of fencing your yard to the you the homeowner, to keep your dog from running loose (and becoming genitally mutilated by the government!), and to keep trespassers out, but incentivize the promotion of protecting your property with a property tax credit or homeowners insurance discount for putting up the fence.

A common example we see every day in practice is the “good driver discount” on auto insurance, where you get a rate cut for being a good driver. (What a good driver actually is vs. what the insurance companies think it is is another discussion!)

Now, some people with a warped view of things would claim A) that’s penalizing the other choices by not incentivizing them as well, and/or B) that’s subsidizing the good choices.

The rebuttals are simple: A) why reward bad choices? B) There is not any subsidy in allowing you to keep your money in the first place.

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