Source: Independent Institute
by Robert E Wright
“The Department of Justice recently charged 455 defendants with $6.5 billion in healthcare fraud, one of a spate of recent revelations of fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) tied to government programs. The insight of Nobel Laureate economist Gary Becker, the experience of America’s Framers, and the wisdom of an ancient guru from India reveal that the route forward entails a combination of tighter auditing and greater punishment. People, even the most virtuous ones, drawn to public service, respond to incentives. Good governance recognizes that universal truth and deliberately constructs incentive systems designed to catch and punish wrongdoers. The mere establishment of well-designed incentive systems stops most FWA in its tracks by creating an expectation that crime will not pay.” (07/15/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/07/15/abusive-government-fraud/