In a functioning Democracy, the peoples interests come first. The federal government, for better or worse, is the dog that wags the tail in a Democracy. Anyone who doesnt understand this fundamental law of Democracy, will eventually trade it away. This is why private business has always seeks to recruit government as an ally; the primacy of the government is understood, probably most of all, by business and industry. Adam Smith in his Wealth of Nations published in 1776, described guilds enforcing local municipal rules that protected existing artisans from competition. You had to live in town, for example. And even if you moved to town, you had to gain a license before you could open up shop--something you often discovered was very difficult to do. In the United States we used to have regulations prohibiting interstate banking. And we used to have regulations separating investment banks from commercial banks, the so-called Glass Steagall rule. These regulations were there to protect taxpayer insurance of commercial bank deposits on the one hand, and to protect state chartered banks from competition by big Wall Street banks on the other hand. These are instances of government regulations aimed at helping, or hindering, some industry or other. To say that government is to be indifferent to the issues of business interest is simply irrational. To say, at the same time, that government is to be indifferent to the nations welfare is equally irrational. My point is that governance requires an open mind and a realization there are no cookie cutter solutions that apply to all discourse. There are competing interests between corporations in individual markets, between domestic and multi-national corporations, between the peoples interests and those of business, both specific and general. In my opinion, todays Republican Party has abandoned the high ground of fair governance. As an anti-government organization the GOP has a cookie cutter approach to all the nations issues: The government creates the problems and, ergo it is irrational to consider any government action helpful. Any tax is a job killer, any tax reduction is a jobs program. For Republicans governance begins and ends with these solutions. To conclude this is irrational, is obvious. Look at our paralysis since 2010 when the GOP gained blocking power by controlling the House of Representatives and, thus, government funding. Should be try to have universal health care? Impossible, say Republicans, that requires government funding and thats a tax and therefore a job killer. Minimum wage increase? Government imposed, a job killer. Unemployment insurance? Makes people lazy. Reform banking? No, job killer, job killer. Sustainable energy? Government interference aka job killer. Infrastructure employment? Government interference aka job killer. The GOP isnt really interested in being consistent, however. Subsidies to Big Fossil? OK. Subsidies to big Ag. OK. Military Industrial complex? OK. What did it take to end the government shutdown and serial hostage taking of government by the GOP? All it required was a $3 billion Kentucky dam project (infrastructure) for Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky; who had opposed infrastructure projects everywhere else. When it comes to duplicity, in fact, Senator McConnell takes first place. In addition to his duplicity regarding the value of infrastructure projects, Senator McConnel has said he will get rid of Obamacare if Republicans gain control of Congress, but that wont have any negative effect on the 400,000 Kentuckians who gained health care because of Obamacare. An obvious lie. This from a man who will become the Senate majority leader if Republicans gain Senate seats. Polls indicate this is possible. Are my fears Republican voters are about to trade away Democracy unreasonable? No. Complacency and inattention is all that is required.
Posted on: Fri, 06 Jun 2014 11:29:01 +0000