“If, for example, existing government intervention is minor, we shall attach a smaller weight to the negative effect of additional government intervention. This is an important reason why many earlier liberals, like Henry Simons, writing at a time when government was small by today’s standards, were willing to have government undertake activities that today’s liberals would not accept now that government has become so overgrown.”

Government is "definitely" overgrown. In fact its right out of control.

Friedman was an excellent economist.

(-; I smile, I like it

Yeah the Great American West is the worse of all. Can you believe that Texas commands its' citizens with sighs on the highways which read "MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLE" and in the Great State of New Mexico public swimming pools carry a sign which reads "SHOWER BEFORE SWIMMING IT IS STATE LAW". Yes Big Brother has grown apace. I want to drive with bad breaks and rusty parts falling off of my car and bath any old way I choose in my own sweat and dirt. Drat the damn "state" anyway, the definite enemy of us all. PS: Friedman was a hole and a lousy constructor of meaningful quotes. No wonder Reagan liked him, Reagan was doulble talking SOB also who principally got us into a current economic situation.

Waffler's utopia is apparently North Korea. I think they have reached the epitome of state control over their citizens. Everything, including their thoughts, are decided for them by the state. And look at what a wonderful society the Kims have wrought, full of happy, smiling people; goose stepping around the square with those beautiful, red flags.

So Ken does your "state" allow trashy cars and dirty bathing. Are you against societal laws (ie "state laws") that ban such things as the above and smoking in public places etc. I say in the final analysis Thank God for the State for putting the hammer on these rotten motorists and filthy bathers.