I found the content in my last post at this blog post
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August 30, 2007 Everything Is Against the Law
It's a few years old, but here's a good essay on just how meddlesome government has become in just one narrow segment of American life.
I really think this kind of thing is perfect for aspiring libertarian filmmakers. The joke that is Morgan Spurlock's success shows that a gimmick--in his case, a dishonest one--is far, far more likely to break through the noise and get people thinking about big issues than wonkish studies, journal articles, or public forums.
The sound analyses, studies, and such are important, of course. But we're bad at putting a compelling face on the costs of big government. The Moores and Spurlocks of the world are very good at punctuating their politics with anecdotes, which is too bad, because they're stuff usually is just that--anecdote unsupported by real data.
I've always thought it would be a good idea, for example, to send a film crew to follow the travails of an aspiring chef trying navigate the maze of bureaucracy required to open a restaurant in a place like New York City. Or anything, really, about how difficult and expensive it can be for an honest person to comply with regulatory hell while running a small business.
I know of a few projects like this in the works right now. Which is great. But we're behind. But there should be lots of them, exposing how government mucks up the works, impedes progress, and stifles innovation. There is, unfortunately, a wealth of material to work with.
Posted by Radley Balko on August 30, 2007
theagitator.com |
