Special Interests are a Symptom of the System

Nothing shocking in this Observer story:

"N.C. elections officials are investigating whether a national Democratic campaign organization with ties to Jim Black violated the state’s ban on corporate donations."

Only the particulars are news.

Because we live in a society where the rule of law is not so much about protecting people from force, theft and fraud — but rather about legislation that creates winners and losers in the economy — special interests will seek to influence government.

Partisans on both sides always seem surprised by the parasites that infest the lobbies of lawmakers at all levels. And yet the system is set up to benefit said parasites. The only way to reduce the influence of special interests is to get government out of micromanaging the economy. But no matter how small you are as a group, if you are a beneficiary of such micromanagement, you are not likely to agree with me. You have too much to gain from currying the government’s favor.

What many fail to realize is that the nexus between special interests and politicians is thoroughgoingly bipartisan. If you (or your party) can make or break a company with a law, you will be shown the money. In the wake of Jim Black, you will will find that resources follow the party of power – the Democrats – in North Carolina. The party is currently being investigated. But it could just as well be the opposition who is engaged in influence peddling. That’s because special interest relationships are a symptom of the system that lets governments meddle in markets. (Where they don’t belong.)