BETWEEN THE LINES: It’s time for partisan politics to go
Corporations and governments are not inherently good or evil. Their ultimate fate hinges on other factors such as moral consciousness, for it is the people, not the institutions themselves, who are corrupt. Perhaps the question we should be asking ourselves is whether our elected leaders are running for office to serve or be served?
In the early days of our country, our political leaders sacrificed to serve their country, often spending months away from home. John Adams, for example, spent virtually half of his married life away from home. His wife, Abigail, was left to tend the family farm.
The financial crisis we face calls for putting aside partisan politics for the greater good of the country. The blame game that is being played out in the nation’s capital is counterproductive. There is no quick fix to the mistakes that have taken place over the last several decades.
Taxpayers are kidding themselves if they think the solution is for Congress to pass a bill, or the Federal Reserve to print more money.
President Barack Obama’s jobs bill is a classic example of such wishful thinking, as is guaranteeing loans at taxpayers’ expense to "green" companies such as the now bankrupt Solyndra, and calling it job creation. The president proposes legislation while giving few details as to how it will actually be implemented. Examples of such include Obamacare and various stimulus programs.
It is amazing to me that government cannot learn from its past mistakes. Additional government spending is the problem, not the solution. Having the president select what groups of people to give jobs to is discriminatory and unwise, especially when the winners are Obama’s allies.
Allowing the free market to operate without the pervasive regulations and restrictions of Big Brother provides the most efficient way of allocating resources in their most productive manner.
The federal government certainly needs to protect the consumer from abuses by businesses, but it cannot prevent the electorate from making bad decisions which have consequences such as the housing fiasco.
In Christian terms this is referred to as "free will." God gave his people a set of guidelines in the form of the Ten Commandments, but he left the choice to his people to make their own decisions.
The age of self-interest, if we are to maintain any semblance of our republic as we know it, must give way to doing what is in the best interest of the country and not a particular group.
As King Solomon warns in the book of Proverbs, “Those who are greedy for unjust gain make trouble for their households.”
As the American public goes to the polls next year, they need to put aside party loyalty. The election is not about choosing a political party, but a philosophy of governance. The battle lines have been drawn. On one side are the advocates of the free market. They believe that prosperity is brought about by individuals being allowed to use their creative talents and in return receive the fruits of their labor.
The other side is represented by supporters of big government who feel that it is lawful for politicians to redistribute wealth, or as my mother used to say, “Rob from Peter to pay Paul.”
History has taught us two truths. One being that central planners, those folks who believe they know what is best for society, have a dismal economic record.
The other is that the free market, when allowed to operate, has generated prosperity which made the United States the envy of the world.
The free market is not without flaws. It is far from perfect. However, the choice comes down to which economic philosophy has produced better overall results. Do not be distracted by flowery rhetoric and false campaign promises uttered with no intention of delivering the goods.
Laughlin is a Christian Libertarian. He is an economist, teacher, father, husband and most recently a grandfather. He has written a weekly column for The Tribune for 12 years. He and his wife Gina reside in Meadowlakes. To contact him, email ablaughlin@nctv.com. He is an independent columnist, not a staff member, and his views do not necessarily reflect those of The Tribune or its parent company.