Baldwinonomics

I really got a kick out of the New Yorker’s profile of Alec Baldwin. A number of things struck me,* but this sentence has a deeper grain of truth to it than most of his thoughts. Says Baldwin:

I’m a pretty liberal person, but my liberalness comes from what the government should be doing with its excess of wealth. That doesn’t mean I’m not a law-and-order person. [Emp. mine]

Lord knows I’m not the best person in the world to lecture on economics, but Alec, buddy, we need to have a chat. The government doesn’t have any wealth. The government only has what it takes from its people. What you mean to say is that your liberalness comes from your deciding that you have the right to spend other people’s money in a way that you see fit. What you mean to say is “I don’t really believe in charity, what I believe in is taxing everyone and then treating that money like a charitable donation.” What you mean to say is that radical redistribution of wealth is just.

And hey, maybe you’re right. But it’s not like the government just has all this money. They’re taking it from you and me. Just ask your accountant.

*Like his protesting that he doesn’t get to spend enough time with his daughter, then allowing himself to be talked into doing Saturday Night Live on the one vacation he’s spending with her. You don’t get to do that, chief. Tell the SNL producer to shove it, pick another week.