Washington or Bust

I don’t always consider it a good sign when more people are moving to our nation’s capital than anywhere else.  Yet, that is what’s happening, and has been for seven years, according to Atlas Van’s annual U.S. and Canada moving trends map.  See here for more interesting info on the matter. 

The two states leading the exodus are (not surprisingly) New York and New Jersey.

Why are so many folks moving to DC?  Rent-seeking.  Earning money by lobbying the federal legislature and administrative state has supplanted the production of goods and services.  As Washington spends more and more money (it spent about $3.6 trillion in 2012), people are abandoning traditional production and service jobs, and are instead seeking careers as lobbyists.  While it’s understandable for the individual, this is not good for the country.

 

And the answer is not new restrictions on lobbying.  One has a right to lobby his representative.  The solution is to constrain the growth of government and curb federal spending such that it becomes unprofitable to a great many to lobby.