This is on the idea of policy ratchets. One is that social welfare benefits ratchet up but never down. Greater government powers for security seem to be the same.
Sadly things never go away once established and increase. In both cases, the policies that ratchet never seem to fully “solve ” the problem they are aimed at. That said faith in increasing the problem never ends.
It could make a libertarian out of you. Hasn’t done so yet I fear.
John Quiggin
via The policy ratchet and US civil liberties (crosspost at CT).
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