Politicians like zombies

So, what’s the difference between an angry zombie and a person who is angry because he’s tired of supporting zombies?

In economic terms, a zombie is a parasite. He contributes less to the economy than he takes from it. He lives at the expense of others.

Almost any profession or career can be a nest for a zombie; an auto mechanic who rips off his customers, for example, is a zombie…at least in a sense. But most often, zombies are created, enabled, and supported by government. Government transfer payments create whole armies of zombies. Government bailouts turn whole industries into zombies. Government programs and

government employment turn millions of otherwise reasonably honest and reasonably productive people into leeches. A guy who might have been a decent gardener, for example, becomes an SEC lawyer or a Homeland Security guard.

Politicians like zombies. Zombies are cheap. If you buy a vote from a man who is independently wealthy, it’s gonna cost you. And the bourgeoisie – which earns its money from honest toil and enterprise – is hard to buy. But zombie votes? They’re a dime a dozen. Just increase Social Security or Medicare; the zombies will line up to vote for you.

It’s relatively easy to turn people into zombies. And it’s fairly easy to support them when an economy is healthy and expanding. But when an economy goes into a contraction, you can no longer afford to give the zombies their meat. Then what?

Then, watch out. The zombies rise up.

Germany was the success story of Europe. Until this week. The latest numbers show the German economy has stopped growing. In fact, it is now trailing the rest of Europe…which is said to be growing at a very slow rate.

Friends in Berlin tell us that young people have gotten used to living off the government. Youth unemployment is high. Everybody wants to earn money and status in the easiest way possible. Even well-educated young people find they can live better by taking government support payments than by working a regular job.

What will they do when the checks no longer come? Look out.

The riots in Europe will increase as austerity is imposed. There is no other choice there or here. Things are going to get ugly, especially in our metropolitan areas.