The Last Ditch by Tom Paine

THE LAST DITCH

I, Pencil

Published by Tom

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I, Pencil | A Project of the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

 

Anyone who thinks politicians can ever make things better should consider this; everything they do obstructs the beautiful process illustrated in this movie. A process that is breathtakingly complex, even in relation to one of mankind's "simplest" products. So they had better have a damn good reason for every such obstruction. Not just one they can "sell" to the lazy, the greedy and the downright wicked in return for votes.

2 responses to “I, Pencil”

  1. Cascadian Avatar
    Cascadian

    As Obambi would say “You did not build that”.
    The logger cannot operate without OSHA (elfnsafety), the waitress works in a cafe that is regulated within an inch of profitability, the architect must be accredited and licensed by government, the graphite and rubber imports are subject to duty and tax and on-and-on.
    It would be useful to know the markup imposed by government regulation and taxes on each pencil, my guess is 100%. But then again, how naive am I? I bet not one pencil factory exists in North America any longer.

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  2. Mark Avatar
    Mark

    We need the law to make pencils.

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Tom is a retired international lawyer. He was a partner in a City of London law firm and spent almost twenty years abroad serving clients from all over the world.

Returning to London on retirement in 2011, he was dismayed to discover how much liberty had been lost in the UK while he was away.

He’s a classical liberal (libertarian, if you must) who, like his illustrious namesake, considers that

“…government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.”

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