Throughout our nation's history, the size and scope of government has grown by leaps and bounds during times of crisis, financial or otherwise. The political class' natural instinct is for government to rush to the rescue, particularly when an election is near. The current financial meltdown appears to be no exception, as our government responds with a $700 billion taxpayer-funded bailout proposal that was at best a Band-Aid and at worst a more deadly strain of the same disease. Rather than punishing taxpayers, an array of smarter options is at the government's disposal: abandon cheap-money policy; remove financial incentives that...