Pendulum Swinging Back?

The Soviet Union lasted on about 70 years, and after about 70 years of "govt is the solution to all of our problems" is the pendulum swinging back?

From Lew Rockwell come a couple of stories...

One, prosecutors, who railroaded a innocent man into prison, are being questioned about it.  That has never happened before.  In fact, the fast track in politics is to be a prosecutor and railroad someone innocent, (Rudy Guiliani) or many innocent people (Janet Reno) or cover up something big (Arlen Spector).

Two, a news station covers a story about a man who defended himself against murderous gunmen with his own gun.  Although fairly common, such stories never made it to the news, but did last night in Miami.

OK... this does not a trend make...  but books and stories abound regarding the cost of benefits, the unfunded liabilities of cities to the govt unions.  Cities such a Vallejo and Los Angeles California are facing bankruptcy for inability to pay for their promises to retirees.

For decades politicians gained votes and money by voting for money for public employees.  What politician cared in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s that the policy was foolish and unsustainable.  By the time the taxpayer figured it out, the politician would be long gone.

To sell the electorate on ever expanding the public employees benefit package, the public had to be sold a vision of the cop and fireman as selfless superhero.  Job well done!  Indeed, part of the compensation package of being a police or fireman is the awesome respect given to these people.

But now this monopoly on violence is costing too much.  Just as the Meiji restoration signalled the end of the Samurai, perhaps the coming changes in USA will see the public employee pass into some mythic hero status, in essence stripping the retirees one way or another of their golden rice bowl (rationing, inflation or raw cutbacks) but leaving the reputation as a consolation prize.

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