{"id":1536119,"date":"2025-05-15T00:05:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T04:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/?p=1536119"},"modified":"2025-05-15T00:05:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T04:05:00","slug":"dont-be-a-panican-but-question-government-shenanigans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/dont-be-a-panican-but-question-government-shenanigans\/1536119\/","title":{"rendered":"Don’t Be A Panican, But Question Government Shenanigans"},"content":{"rendered":"

Don’t Be A Panican, But Question Government Shenanigans<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Authored by Matthew Williams via The Mises Institute,<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t Be A Panican\u201d is a\u00a0memeable mantra<\/a>\u00a0adapted from a Truth Social post released by the President during the market turmoil <\/strong>triggered by the threat of a broad-sweeping tariff policy. While the panican meme is comical and jovial, its sentiment carries a more insidious undertone.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Voting conservatives have given lip service to the classical liberal tenet that a smaller government is the most effective way to run a country\u2014though we will not delve into how this desire fails to manifest in Washington, D.C. Traditionally, conservatives are supposed to question government, support free markets, condemn government overreach, and uphold constitutionalism.<\/p>\n

On April 2, 2025\u2014\u201cLiberation Day\u201d\u2014Trump announced a\u00a0litany<\/a>\u00a0of tariffs. However, they were not genuine tariffs but pseudo-tariffs. The\u00a0calculations<\/a>\u00a0relied on the ratio of trade deficits to US imports, producing a falsely-inflated tariff percentage. In response, Trump introduced retaliatory tariffs based on this misleading figure. Critics argued that the tactic was inherently dishonest. Yet, when confronted with this faulty approach, many of President Trump\u2019s most ardent followers retorted, \u201ctrust the process\u201d or \u201cit\u2019s going to hurt in the\u00a0short term<\/a>\u201d\u2014believing that the ends justify the means.<\/p>\n

Tariffs sent the markets into a frenzy. <\/strong>Both Trump and representatives from his administration conveyed\u00a0conflicting messages<\/a>\u00a0about the tariffs\u2019 ultimate purpose. Meanwhile, obsequious conservative think tanks scrambled to justify the policy, often issuing paradoxical interpretations of tariffs as a strategy.<\/p>\n

A Euthyphro\u2019s dilemma of sorts emerged. <\/strong>Were tariffs sound policy\u2014capable of paying debt, replacing taxes, and bolstering American exceptionalism\u2014or were they valuable solely because they could be leveraged to bargain for free trade with other nations? Rather than reconciling this dilemma or acknowledging the inherent contradictions, followers and messengers embraced all premises, frequently conflating disparate ideas. The goal was clear: to cast Trump\u2019s decision in a positive light. Even more disheartening was the fact that many of these trusted intellectuals compromised their foundational values, such as the commitment to free trade, in an effort to justify an enigmatic presidential move.<\/p>\n

Put bluntly, \u201cDon\u2019t Be A Panican\u201d was less about avoiding panic and more a euphemism for \u201ctrust Donald Trump.\u201d <\/strong>This message\u2014emerging from traditionally skeptical conservatives\u2014is particularly troubling given the garbled communications from the Trump administration. There were ample reasons to be skeptical\u2014regardless of the ultimate outcome or one\u2019s political leanings. Unfortunately, this blind trust had already taken root before April 2, and it is not a phenomenon confined solely to the Right.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Be A Panican: Bias Media and Public Health Figures<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Five years ago, a novel virus swept the globe. Covid was a highly-contagious threat, particularly dangerous to high-risk individuals, and it cost over\u00a0one million<\/a>\u00a0American lives. Public health figures urged citizens to confine themselves at home\u2014no visiting family or friends, mask up, and even avoid hiking outdoors. Media outlets broadcast death counters alongside the latest news, and images of people isolated at home\u2014waving from behind windows or hugging through plastic barriers\u2014became ubiquitous. Commercials urging citizens to mask up and do their part to stop the contagion inundated every broadcast, fostering an environment of pervasive fear.<\/p>\n

A vaccine was developed in record time and though\u2014sometimes a controversial point\u2014data showed the\u00a0vaccine safe<\/a>; its efficacy in containing the spread of the contagion was\u00a0questionable<\/a>. Regardless, many companies and institutions pushed mask and vaccine mandates on the public at the discretion of government entities like the Center for Disease Control (CDC).<\/p>\n

These mandates were poorly managed and infringed on many American freedoms. Questioners or dissenters were frequently excluded from public discourse, their concerns dismissed without proper debate; in some instances, individuals even faced career-ending\u00a0repercussions<\/a>. Worries about vaccine side effects were labeled as \u201cconspiracy theories.\u201d When\u00a0side effects<\/a>\u00a0became public knowledge, there was neither an apology nor an admission of error. Covid policy and response was a complete\u00a0disaster<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The panican narrative was quite different in this situation. It was the panicans urging the public to blindly trust authorities and the \u201cscience,\u201d while non-panicans exercised caution and rejected that narrative.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Non-panicans fervently detested and rejected the technocratic establishment.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to 2025, and new faces have supplanted the technocrats in institutions of public health, such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). <\/strong>Many non-panicans\u2014once adamantly opposed to bureaucrats lecturing us on health decisions\u2014now welcome these new figures as leaders in public health. Some even call for them to use bureaucratic power to\u00a0remove additives<\/a>\u00a0or unwanted ingredients from foods and baby formula. Such calls are often embellished with justifications like, \u201cThey are poisoning us!\u201d\u2014a claim that sounds awfully like an appeal to panic.<\/p>\n

In this scenario, there are several reasons to reject\u2014or at least protest\u2014the advocacy for government intervention as a panacea that should be obvious to government minimalists\u2014and non-panicans. <\/strong>First, the idea that government regulations will hold corporations accountable is debatable, as evidence suggests that such measures can instead\u00a0embolden corporate<\/a>\u00a0entities. Second, emboldening the market, by decreasing regulations and bureaucratic controls, to apply pressures on corporations is the orthodox conservative approach. What happened?<\/p>\n

Conversely, the panicans have reacted in an entirely opposite manner. Now, it is the panicans telling us to no longer trust the experts\u2014blaming them for\u00a0measles outbreaks<\/a>\u00a0and for\u00a0wasting taxpayer money<\/a>\u00a0on frivolous experiments like investigating a cause for autism. This stance seems excessive and misleading, especially since anti-vaccine sentiments had been on the\u00a0rise before figures<\/a>\u00a0like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. came to prominence. Ironically, this anti-vaccine trajectory appears largely as a reaction to the panican response during covid. It is bewildering that the covid panicans failed to assume any responsibility for this trend, choosing instead to project blame onto figures like RFK Jr. and Dr. Bhattacharya for the growing movement against established scientific thought.<\/p>\n

The polarization surrounding nearly every policy decision leaves one questioning the appropriate course of action.<\/strong><\/p>\n

To Be or Not to Be a Panican<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It seems the American public is constantly instructed on when to be\u2014and not to be\u2014a \u201cpanican\u201d by the powers that be.<\/strong> While only two scenarios have been outlined above, recent years have presented a plethora of examples: Russian collusion, Biden\u2019s mental health decline, \u201cif you like your doctor you can keep your doctor,\u201d etc. The list is extensive.<\/p>\n

It is good advice not to be a panican. Panic induces strong emotions of fear and uncertainty, rendering individuals more susceptible to short-sighted solutions that promise comfort or security. Typically, these solutions manifest as government interventionism\u2014leading to rigid legislation and eventual bureaucratic expansion. In the words of V from V for Vendetta, \u201cFear got the best of you and in your panic you turned to the now high chancellor [the government]…. Fear became the ultimate tool of this government.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, a more troubling message accompanies the panican mantra. Whether one is labeled a panican or not often depends on partisan politics rather than objective analysis. Although panicans are generally associated with the Left and non-panicans with the Right, this alignment is not absolute. Both camps tend to place their trust in government solutions solely based on who is in power\u2014a stance that builds a house on a foundation of sand. At its core, this philosophy assumes that the government will, or is, acting in the best interests of the people.<\/p>\n

Demagoguery has become commonplace in political discourse and in approach to policy. This trend sets a dangerous precedent by encouraging the abandonment of the very ideals on which our nation was founded. The Founders believed strongly in rights endowed by an extrinsic, all-powerful Creator, not government.<\/strong> This belief is potent precisely because it shifts power away from a flawed human institution and places it in individual rights, which transcend human authority. Thomas Jefferson famously averred, \u201cThe spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the other hand, President Trump has taken significant steps to reduce government power<\/strong> in some areas through initiatives such as DOGE, executive orders implementing sunsetting legislation, and crackdowns on illegal immigration\u2014actions that support a smaller government framework. These decisions should be lauded, as they position Trump as a champion of reducing government overreach. Trump excels when held accountable and listens to his base\u2014a notable strength\u2014it is all the more important that conservatives uphold their values rather than succumb to populist rhetoric and defenses.<\/p>\n

We must remember that America\u2019s values do not originate from those in power but from a set of ideals that exceed human authority. <\/strong>When the administration pursues actions that contradict these values, it is our duty to question and hold them accountable. Excusing or attempting to justify poor policy sets a dangerous precedent. With that being said, don\u2019t be a panican.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Tyler Durden<\/a><\/span>
\nWed, 05\/14\/2025 – 20:05<\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bhttps:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/political\/dont-be-panican-question-government-shenanigans<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Don’t Be A Panican, But Question Government Shenanigans Authored by Matthew Williams via The Mises Institute, \u201cDon\u2019t Be A Panican\u201d is a\u00a0memeable mantra\u00a0adapted from a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1536120,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1536119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1536119","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1536119"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1536119\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1536120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1536119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1536119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bugaluu.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1536119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}