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Three cheers for Georgia state representative Charles Bannister. A front-page article in the September 29th edition of the Gwinnett Daily Post, quotes Mr. Bannister as he responded to the state and county redistricting fiascos. He said, “I’m not for increasing the size of government, the cost and the aggravation. Efficiency doesn’t come by increasing the number of people {representatives}.” Mr. Bannister may be a politician we should support.
During times of crisis, many politicians and companies use crisis to expand government, gain political advantage, implement economic fallacies, and socialize society. This is how an economic recession in 1929 turned into a depression. Government kept tinkering with free markets by implementing trade barriers and fixing prices. This continued until we ended up with two more recessions inside the first one. So far, we haven’t seen anything as foolish as the 1930 Smoot-Hawley tariff, but we are seeing nibbles around the same edge.
Politicians across America recently supported financial handouts to the airline industry. This industry was on shaky financial ground prior to September 11th. Despite this, politicians gave the airlines $15 billion taxpayer dollars. This didn’t stop lay offs, increase the number of flights, protect against hotel and entertainment industry layoffs, and it certainly does not make us want to fly. The only thing this money does, is protect airline stockholders and airline employees.
Perhaps some Americans now feel that a home in a remote mountain area suddenly makes more since than a flight to Disney World, Las Vegas, or New York. Are these folks wrong? Why should they be forced to support airlines offering flights they do not want?
Begging for socialism and big government will not stop with the airline industry. There is already talk on Capitol Hill about bailing out the insurance industry and increasing the minimum wage. The Bush Administration is talking and listening to those wanting to bail out the steel industry, travel agents, and rental car companies. Even railroads are asking for federal funds. I believe it is reasonable to assume that shrinking transportation capacity would benefit railroads and truckers. All this government “tinkering” is occurring at the same time there is a worldwide drumbeat about the evils of global economic trade.
If the recent New York attacks are a declaration of war on capitalism and liberty, why are government leaders and American companies calling for less of both?
Wes Alexander
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