In saner times, Americans were taught that there was no such thing as a free lunch.  But fast-forward to the year 2017, and it appears we need to forget everything we think we know about economics (intuitively, for those with common sense, or otherwise) and get with the program – the "free" school lunch program, that is.

I live on what may be best described as a small island of very limited sanity (Congressman Tom McClintock's district) within the People's Republic of California and have seen emails about qualifying for a "free" summer school lunch program in the past.  But this year, when I received notice about the program, something caught my eye I didn't remember seeing previously:

Attention Parents! Important news from the Rocklin Unified Nutrition Services Department. The Summer Feeding Program is available to all Rocklin students 18 years and under through the Roseville City School District. Lunch is served Monday through Friday at several Roseville locations. See the attached flier. If you are interested in this program please call 916-771-1675, extention 248 for more information. Thank you!   

No, it wasn't the misspelled word (proving that economics and math aren't the only issues of concern here); it was that all students 18 and under were invited to come feed at the expense of the taxpayer, not just those who could prove they're in need.  I thought it was a misprint, so I looked at the attached flyer, and sure enough, in the land of unicorns and rainbows, there truly is such a thing as a "free" lunch.  Bernie Sanders would be so proud.

Some snips from the flyer:

I hope there are long lines of Porsches, Ferraris, and BMWs dropping kids off just to prove the stupidity of the nanny state.

I called the given number, and per the recording, the funds come from a federal program.  Again, no mention of proving one's need.  Small-government types would agree that even a "free" lunch program that requires proof of necessity is bad economic policy, but opening the program to any 18-year-old adult (not child) and all children is a recipe for economic suicide.

In Venezuela, people were promised a "free" lunch as well (and Chávez received much praise from dunderheads such as Sean Penn for doing so).  Sadly, as is always the case with government freebies, that state has now run out of other people's money, and the "free" lunch that was promised must now be scavenged out of garbage cans.  

Scott blogs at www.politiseeds.com.