Trumponomics: Big government is a racket
Big government can be thought of as a toll collector. Through regulation, taxes, or outright government ownership, politicians limit the ability of individuals and businesses to do the stuff they want to do. To get free from these government-imposed restrictions, businesses and individuals typically have to pay tribute to the politicians.
TL;DR
- Big government is characterized as a toll collector or shakedown artist, limiting freedoms and demanding tribute.
- President Trump is seen as a more overt practitioner of this model, exemplified by the Ambler Road approval in Alaska.
- The Ambler Road project was approved by Trump in exchange for a 10% federal stake in the mining company, a practice called "venture socialism."
- Government control over federal lands, especially in the West and Alaska, provides politicians with significant leverage over businesses.
- Companies often feel compelled to comply with political demands to secure necessary approvals, as seen with the mining company Trilogy.
- Environmentalists view federal land ownership as a check on private interests, while Trump views it as a tool for extraction.