Tanstaafl!

Reading redarius, I ran across a phrase I hadn't seen in a while, and propose as the phrase of the year - "TANSTAAFL". I first ran across TANSTAAFL in Robert Heinleins "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" at the tender age of 11 and it's been a part of my world view ever since. (Buy it, read it, love it!)

TANSTAAFL, "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch", needs to be a common word and concept, and is fundamental to repairing the ills of our society.

Pass a new criminal law? SOMEBODY is gonna pay for investigation, enforcement, adjudication, new prisons, and post-prison rehab - and lawsuits cropping up from little boo-boo's in any of the above processes.

Pass an unfunded or underfunded mandate requiring mandatory emergency care? Watch other hospital costs rise, and emergency rooms close (or never open).

Regulate corporate behavior disproportionate to other jurisdictions? See corporations *move* once the burden cost-justifies it. Same for taxation.

The list goes on, but I have a little thought...a little meme I'll start (and everyone named gets to name five others), and I'll name Ambulance Driver, Babs, Big Al, Matt, DiamondMair, and as a bonus, the Queen of Dysfunction. Rules are simple - post at least one example of TANSTAAFL in action, and tell at least one person about TANSTAAFL.

Let's see what happens :)