The Most Destructive Disease

The Most Destructive Disease
Cato Institute: Commentary

by Richard W. Rahn

Richard W. Rahn is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth.

Washingtonosis(n): a disease most often found in people working within three miles of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, although pockets also are found in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. It tends to infect elected officials, government bureaucrats, those working in the media, "government relations specialists," association executives and even top corporate executives.

Symptoms include an overwhelming desire to associate and be seen with those in power or those perceived to have power and/or fame. Those infected tend to lose judgment, values, principles and sense of honesty as well as common sense. They say silly things like, "I will vote for (or support) this (1,000-page) bill because it is absolutely necessary to protect the American people and we must do it now" — having never read the bill, having only a vague idea of its provisions, having no idea whether it will do more good or harm and having no idea of what a billion dollars is, let alone a trillion dollars.

The AMA has been out of step with many of its members for years and represents less than one-quarter of the nation's doctors.

Last week, officials of the American Medical Association (AMA) revealed that they had caught the disease. They endorsed the House version of the .....

Continue reading...