Statism has become the central ideological tenet of the Democrat party. First Hillary Clinton wrote “It Takes a Village.” Then Elizabeth Warren went on a fund-raiser rant on how every successful company requires the government figuratively (and literally) to pave the way (see: YouTube Video). And now, Obama has echoed these same state-centric thoughts in his recent speech in Roanoke, VA when he also said that no important economic progress happens without the Federal government first greasing the skids. (see: Politico Story). Both Elizabeth Warren and The Barry used the analogy of how the government has built this country’s roads and bridges and therefore its investment has allowed many other companies to prosper. Balderdash! This is total socialist claptrap. I don’t believe (nor should you) that the government built roads expressly so that United Parcel could come about and prosper.
I learned many years ago that there is a fundamental difference between “necessary” and “sufficient” conditions. Yes, that fact that the government has built infrastructure has been a necessary condition for many capitalistic endeavors to prosper. But it has not been a sufficient condition. What has interceded and extended this initial condition has been entrepreneurial imagination, risk-capital investment, managerial expertise, and the hard work of the employee base of these enterprises. For Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, and Barack Obama to dismiss these sufficiencies as unimportant is an insult to all the Americans that have created the greatest economy in the history of mankind. Although roads and bridges are used in industry and commerce (good), they are also used to transport contraband, kidnappers, and bank robbers (bad). And, although public school teachers have inspired future entrepreneurs, so have private school teachers … in fact Thomas Edison was home-schooled.
May I suggest that following the leftist tirades of these three bubble-headed ideologues is the surest way to our economic collapse … and, unfortunately we already seem to be well on our way.
6 comments:
You fail to note that most of the infrastructure (interstate highways, power grids, internet) were built for military purposes. And the bonus was capital gain.
You are correct Sir. In fact, Eisenhower's Interstate Highway System was built in anticipation of a nuclear war. The government's job-one is national defense. It may sponsor pure research to this end ... but its financing of lavish solar-panel start-ups is idiotic. Crossing the line between pure research to applied research is one of many big mistakes that the current chuckleheads in Washington have made.
And to extend this comment, ARPAnet (the precursor to the Internet) was a pure research project of the Defense Dept which did kick-start things. But, if anyone (besides The Barry, Elizabeth Warren, and Hillary Clinton) believes that the Internet would not have come about without the federal government having to fund AOL, has not been awake these past 40 years.
The characterization of the bubble-headed ideologues might be more pithy if the GOP did anything (besides talking) to actually reduce the size of government when they've had the chance. Why should average Americans be insulted by hearing the truth?
Successful egomaniacs justify their exorbitant salaries citing genius or hard work. This is the real balderdash. Every one of them got help from someone to allow them to take advantage of good luck. The 99% contains millions of smart souls who lacked the same lucky connections and/or opportunities.
Even Steve Jobs stole most of his ideas; if that makes me a Marxist then so be it. Those guys made some funny movies.
Ditto ...
Post a Comment