Santa Claus is a magical and benevolent figure who is able to produce and distribute gifts to children every Christmas Eve at no cost to the recipients. But many economists and people in the general public mistake the political state for Santa Claus for failure to recognize the nature of government and one of the most basic rules of economics—a government has no resources of its own and cannot “give” with one hand what has not first been taken by the other.,,,,,,,,,,,

They would—like the general public and many so-called economists—be duped into believing that the expropriator who had taken their production and possessions, then returned them, was a magical Santa Claus-figure who could magically distribute gifts. At least the Grinch only did this once, felt remorse, returned everything he had taken, did not do it again, did not attempt to deceive the Whos into thinking that he was an independent, magical gift-giver, and did not morally lecture the Whos into believing that all he did was to their benefit.

On the other hand, the state takes regularly, keeps part of what it takes even as it rearranges and “gives,” allows people to think that government provides these “gifts,” and that this is all for the benefit of the recipients.