There is absolutely nothing good about this tragedy in Japan

The Keynesians and lefties are out in force this week, and it is for the most peculiar reason. They are arguing this terrible earthquake in Japan and the accompanying earthquake is actually a good thing.

The Christian Science Monitor, for example, opines that the quake might be an opportunity for Japan to pacify its fractious political environment which has yielded five prime ministers in the same number of years. Marketwatch reflects on the possibilities for centrally planning a path to new prosperity, strangely advocating for the sort economic balancing act between currency manipulation and inflation dodging that has served Japan (and the United States) so poorly so far. Only Steven Cohen over at the Huffington Post though goes so far as to argue for a new internationally mandated "World Guard to routinely respond to natural emergencies".

Egad. There are some problems government cannot just legislate away. Sometimes bad things happen. You can make sensible plans to mitigate threats, and to deal with the aftermath of disasters, but you cannot avoid bad luck altogether.

Maybe it is an unwillingness to accept that reality which drives the lunacy of individuals who seek to collectivize all action, in the hopes of improving life for everyone.

We perform best when performing for ourselves. The free market inspires people to work, to create, to prosper- not for everyone but for the benefit of the innovators themselves.

Innovation cannot be scripted by a central authority, at least not with the degree of necessary variance that creates true, apolitical progress.

There is no lesson to be learned from this sad event other than the reminder that bad things happen and we should all enjoy the liberty we have been given from above.

Resist the call of eggheads in world capitals drawing up large plans to reinvent Japan and see this for what it is: something very, very bad.

Help Japan however you see fit- buy its bonds, invest in Yen, send cash to a friend in Tokyo (most charities are inefficient, in kind donations are usually more of a burden than a help- cash is king), pray if you think that will make a difference. But do not seek to pass even more liberty to a central authority under the auspices of emergency planning.

Such action is almost always dangerous.