Gregoire sidesteps legislative discord, signs executive order to stop climate change
Posted by Amber Gunn - May 21, 2009Despite much fanfare, grandstanding and a whole bunch of twenty-somethings packing hearings with hopeful faces and "Cap & Invest, YES!" stickers, Governor Gregoire's requested climate change legislation failed.
No matter. The governor signed an executive order today that all state agencies must "develop emissions reduction strategies and set benchmarks for industry emissions." If you can't beat 'em, steamroll 'em, right? More details on her executive order from the TVW blog.
Governor Gregoire is showcasing Hayek's classic dilemma of the economic planner. Essentially, Hayek notes the obvious--that agreement is hard to come by in a democracy. Eventually, the economic planner must assume control (by whatever means possible) or abandon the plan.
The democratic process is what leads to squabbling and gridlock--a planner's worst nightmare. As a result, Hayek rightly points out that democracies tend to divest greater power to 1) boards, commissions, agencies and other unelected bodies that can "get things done" or 2) one person (like the executive branch) that can just decide for everyone else and end the bickering.
More efficient? Absolutely. Conducive with liberty? Not so much.
Thoughts? Add Comment -
SouthernRoots said on May 21 2009 at 2:26pm
Why not just cut down the size of government until emissions goals are acheived?
Amber Gunn said on May 21 2009 at 3:01pm
Touche.