Is there some law preventing the US Government from making a profit? Instead of raising taxes, or inventing new taxes, couldn’t they manufacture a product the consumers would eat up?
In my perfect world, I envision the US Gov running a national lottery, for one. Or, perhaps by operating under some spiffy name, the US Gov could sell some novelty item where the profits would feed into the Treasury. From carmel corn at the beach to (maybe) dollar chocolate bars at the check-out counter…to who knows what other gimmicks…but, isn’t worth it? Must we accept Franklin’s decree about death and taxes?
In short, isn’t just a lack of creativity that keeps us enslaved to the archaic concept of paying taxes to fund a government?
The problem with this is how to avoid conflicts of interest. Let’s say a private vendor will compete with the government in making said product. What will stop the government from simply passing laws that cement their monopoly? Or declaring that government needs for this product should be met only by the “government” vendor? Or making all innovations in that field government property by eminent domain?
For that matter, unless the government’s profits in this venture are somehow taxed or limited by law, that automatically puts private vendors at a disadvantage.
Worse, the government might try to justify selling at a loss to get market share, and that would totally screw over the taxpayers!
The potential for abuse is enormous, and too easy to justify by saying “This makes money for the people.”
They do manufacture something - Laws. And consumers do eat it up, inasmuch as we’ve become a nation of law-breakers. Without elaborating a whole lot, I cite speeding tickets as a common example. (I realize not everyone speeds, as I stated, this is just a handy example)
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The Gov’t does run the lottery, at least here in Massachusetts. I think the only thing that prevents a national lottery is the beuracratic overhead and subsequent reduction of “prize money”, which would be inevitable due to the ubiquitous cost overruns, pork barrel deals, and Etc. Actually, the sitting Governor of Massachusetts allegedly raided the Mass. Lottery to help pay for the Big Dig, one of the best examples of all that is wrong with Big Government.
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It’s not lack of creativity, it’s monstrous corruption. And Archaic? Well, that’s just a matter of perspective. Federal Income Tax was unconstitutional up until 1913.