The Myth of Public Money

Many people speak as though whatever money the government takes in is the government’s, or public, money. That is, they argue that government funds can be spent however the government chooses, and that my own or your say in how it is spent is a decision beyond us. The money, once taxed out of our pockets or taken as fees, isn’t ours, but theirs.

This is not true. Public money is my money and your money pooled together so that we can afford to pay for necessary services more readily. The government didn’t earn it; we did. It is ours; therefore we have a say in how it is spent. We can say, through our elected representatives, what we do and do not want funded. Our hand is not taken from it through confiscation however legitimate that may be at the time; our will stays attached to it wherever it flows.

The concept of public ownership of money is like public ownership of land, airwaves, or most anything else: vague, amorphous, and an open door to abuses. "Public money" is too great a temptation for politicians who want to fulfill the wish lists of those who funded their ascent to power. Here's a handy rule of thumb: the less money (or anything else) that is publicly owned, the more freedom for everyone.