Congress, the Obama administration, some car dealers and a few car buyers are rejoicing over the federal government's handout of a billion dollars (that the federal government had to borrow) on its "cash for clunkers" car sales promotion.
Up to $4,500 per new car was provided. It is likely an additional $2 billion will be handed out. But is this really good -- or constitutional -- business?
There already have been big government loans to the big car companies. There also have been bailouts for some banks and other financial institutions that were deemed "too big to fail."
These government interventions followed the longtime multibillion-dollar handouts to farmers in subsidies to rig prices. And there have been real estate mortgage and rental subsidies, etc., at taxpayers' expense.
Too few people have seriously inquired where in the Constitution of the United States it is authorized for the federal government to tax our citizens -- and borrow $11.5 trillion -- to provide varied "goodies" for a selected few.
Unfortunately, the federal government long has been unconstitutionally, wastefully and foolishly involved in a great many handouts of money in various forms in its attempts to buy votes and rig our national economy. But that does not make any of them either wise or right.
With economic troubles continuing, some of the problems have actually been caused, rather than "solved," by the defiance of basic economic principles by individuals, companies and government.
What will politicians think of next to hand out your tax money -- and borrowed money?
Wouldn't it be better if we returned to the real "free enterprise" that made our people and our country prosperous?
Free enterprise- what a nice phrase. This worked well in 1776 when you could trade chickens to a neighbor for some fresh milk. Fast forward over two hundred years later when the world is your neighbor and they haven't quite caught on to the free enterprise concept. Oil, gold and rockets are the new commodities and financial terms and concepts that a Harvard MBA has trouble comprehending. Some folks need have a cup of coffee and wake-up.
Most of the money in 1776 was backed by some precious metal, mainly gold. Today, we have a paper currency backed by nothing. The main reason why gold has increased in its value is because of our carelessness in allowing the money supply to grow. People want to have something of value. Unfortunately, the US Dollar is not as valuable as it once was.
The free market hasn't failed. What has failed is government policy trying to "fix what ails" the free market. It's our dependence on the government. We want the government to provide us with goodies such as free health care, free education, financial security, etc. for what appears to be "free". The first economic term I heard in my economics class was TINSTAAFL or "There is no such as a free lunch." There are costs with every decision that we make. There are costs to our society for government goods and services in the forms of a fiscal cost (taxes) and opportunity costs.
When we want the government to provide "stuff" for us, what is the opportunity cost for that tax money? Well, think about your withholding: you are forfeiting a portion of your paycheck for taxes. Most of us over-pay the government, so we have to file tax returns to get back what is ours. What's the opportunity cost in terms of paying too much to the government? One is the forfeited interest that you could have gotten from keeping it a savings account or investing it in a business. Further, that money could have been used by an entrepreneur to create or expand a business to provide a good or service that we need (perhaps one that we thought the government should provide) at a competitive price and more efficiently.
Think beyond step one. It's always easier to lay the blame at the feet of the free market and say that it's a failed system. Like I said earlier, it's not the free market that have failed; what has failed is the government's numerous interventions into the free market. History is proof that it doesn't work. One good example is the Hawley-Smoot tariff established in the 1930s. I recommend looking into it.
"it's not the free market that have failed; what has failed is the government's numerous interventions into the free market. "
BINGO!!!!
THE CALLOUS & OFTEN CRUEL TREATMENT OF THE POOR (ProVerse, Parables, Fables)
Part 1: Introduction to Poverty
Editors Note: My beloved Brethren we have been called throughout our sojourn here on earth to document the trials and tribulations of the poor. “There was once a man called and commissioned to record the deeds, life and times of those that are said to have not. He had to have been in the bread line also to feel not the pain as he knew Jesus then and now.”
Greetings Brethren,
Peace be unto you. To the Church and believing Christians everywhere. To those that believe in the Bible as the supreme authority that governs all of humankind. In this we give thanks to God the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit that leads and guides us the straightway.
Beloved we have time and time again once more than once commissioned and ordained to render a report on the poor. Therefore as the world sets certain standards many people move upon God’s green earth as the destitute, impoverished, indigent, needy, penniless, poverty-stricken, underprivileged, miserable and shabby. Thus their story continues to unfold. But really who are these people?
Are you born poor or rich? Is wealth only counted up in material things? Are those born poor always able to move up the economic ladder in the land of the Free? Can one move up and down? Why are some rich and some poor? Just how is poverty (poor, Po) defined? Are there automatic built-in problems that embrace exploitation among all that are poor? Is love found among all people rich or poor, poor or rich? Is it ridiculous to note poverty as a state of mind?
A Faceless Man
The man who offered me a hand up I knew not his name. Meanwhile no one knew they were poor at birth however, many did know that they were rich as the rich spoke of such and lived in a way that lifted them up.
The poor saw beautiful sun filled skies and tasted the water at the cool and refreshing Indian Spring where many Native Americans had been looked upon as human beings and not as ruthless savages invented by other men.
All were not shiftless or lazy that did not amass wealth, money and things material. Some were held down in place by those that squatted on economic privilege as a mother hen on eggs that never hatched. Thus all were not rich or poor.
There had to be a balance and after all the rich and the poor were only in the eyes of the beholder. But many paid more for poverty as the hens and roosters of the chicken house looked for ways to cash in on an already broke cash cow.
But I saw love in all human beings, rich, poor, Black, Brown, White, Red, and Yellow but green became the number for many that frowned on those that had few shoes to wear and hardly clothes to place on the backs of their children.
It was dark of night and I could not see however, a hand reached out for me and those like me in a mood of compassion in all times of need and trouble. I saw not the face nor was the name important. I saw love at midnight and this was rich nor poor.
Cont. Part 2: Seeing The Destitution Of Wealth
Peace and Golden Paradise, Carl A. Patton a willing slave and servant of Almighty God and Christ Jesus writing for the FreedomJournal Press a God Fearing Free Press 2 August 2009 in the year of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.
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