How Should We Think About Public Policy Proposals? Government-By-Unicorn

In one of my favorite articles in recent years, my friend, mentor, and sometimes-internet troll Michael Munger pointed out that we live in a world inhabited by people who believe in strawberry-farting unicorns. Or at least they believe in their political equivalent: all-knowing, all-powerful, all-seeing, all-wise-and-benevolent government that ascertains the public good and makes policies in order to effect it.

This simply isn't an accurate description of reality.