Quote of the day—Thomas Sowell

Politics has sometimes been called “the art of the possible”. But that implies a level of constraint that simply does not exist in democratic politics.

As a noted economist has pointed out, “No voting system could prevent the California electorate from simultaneously demanding low electricity prices and no new generating plants while using ever increasing amounts of electricity.”

This is just one of many ways the impossible can win elections. Beliefs can trump facts in politics. And have repeatedly trumped facts throughout history.

Thomas Sowell
2008
Applied Economics, 2nd Edition
[Everything of Sowell’s which I have read is awesome. This book is no exception. I have three more QOTDs to pull from this book.—Joe]

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2 thoughts on “Quote of the day—Thomas Sowell

  1. That’s another way of observing that politicians aim to bring us “bread and circuses”. Or “a politician who proposes to rob Peter to give to Paul can always count on the support of Paul”.

    While you can blame the electorate when it falls for these frauds, the greater blame lands on the politicians who forsake their duty to push these lies as a way to achieve power.

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