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This is in reply to Richard Stover’s letter of Dec. 21 commenting on the many successes of government programs. I’ll agree with him that it is the duty of the government to provide for the defense of our country and that the government is probably in the best position to construct our interstate highways and dams, run a space program, but his statement that, “the government (capable people) runs business more efficiently than private business because there is no profit for unscrupulous CEOs and board members to steal” is utterly stupid and is an insult to the thousands of honest CEOs and board members that run the companies that fill the government tax coffers with the money that allows this country to function. The only money that our government makes is on the printing presses that are running full tilt printing money that is going to be the ruin of this country. For my part, I trust our business leaders far more than I trust our political leaders.
Mr. Stover mentions how well Social Security is doing. The Social Security program is on the verge of going bankrupt, and Medicare is on the verge of bankruptcy. The end of the Social Security program began in the mid ’60s when the politicians under Lyndon Baines Johnson looted the funds from the “lock box” and has been stuffing it with I.O.U.s ever since that time.
I further believe that this Democratic led Congress is going to find a way to confiscate our 401(k)s and IRAs just like Argentina has done to pay for all of this wild irresponsible spending taking place in Washington, D.C. Our medical system which is without doubt the best in the world will be socialized under this upcoming administration so we can say goodbye to the good medical treatments we receive and say hello to the socialized medical systems that are failing all over the world.
I believe that the government is responsible for a great portion of the credit crunch and housing bubble because of the social programs certain members of congress were espousing. Now we’re faced with a double-edge sword on one side we have the government idiots that caused the problem and on the other are the same government idiots that are charged with fixing the problem.
J.C. PRESTRIDGE
Grand Junction
3 Responses to “Government does not suceed in business”
Posted December 24th, 2008 at 3:04 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Nothing like a warped sense of reality. Real problems and imaginary all mixed together in a paranoid stew that the Democrats either caused or are certain to cause in the future. “The only money our government makes is on the printing presses…….”. The busines of our goverment is not to “make” the almighty dollar but to provide services to the people who owns it. We decide what want and it is up to the people we elect to try to make it happen, as efficiently and thoroughly as possible. These people, elected and hired, are perfectly capable of operating in the private sphere, why not for government? Maybe we’ve elected the wrong pople or maybe we don’t watch those we do close enough. In any event, both government and private enterprise are human enterprises. Is government evil? Is our democratic republic unworkable? What is Mr. Prestridge saying beyond complaining about his personal dislikes? What is his ideal government and what would the result of it be? Beware!
Posted December 25th, 2008 at 2:37 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
The letter writer attempts to blame the government for the financial collapse. We have to wonder where the individual obtained his information, that allows him to arrive at that conclusion. If the individual were better informed, he might have come to the conclusion that some of us have, that the problem is not the government itself, it lies with those who “own” the government. And today, that is not the people. Too many of them have been merely “coasting along”, paying little heed to what was happening, just as long as they personally were “fine.”
If the individual were to look more closely at the failure of business enterprises, be that failure a result of legal or illegal activity, he might find that, at the bottom of it, lies the belief of “every man for himself” and success being measured by accumulation rather than creating and building.
The financial collapse was caused by corporate executives more concerned with their personal compensation (hefty salaries and bonuses), than with either the enterprise, the employee, or even the customer. In other words, they measured success solely with the benefits that accrued to them. That is true whether such a belief led to activity which was legal or illegal. The “legality” had absolutely nothing to do with the consequences. In fact, and as evidenced by what happened in the financial sector, most of the practices that led to the collapse were perfectly legal. How else could it be? They wrote most of the laws and regulations covering their conduct.
Yes, in some instances the Congress was remiss, but so were most of us, for allowing ourselves to replace one belief for another, and not paying any heed to the consequences. For the last thirty years, in a total reactionary manner, some were quite content to accept the mantra of “borrow and spend”, as if there would never be a time of reckoning. It was nothing more than “I want this, and I don’t care who pays for it, just as long as it isn’t me.” To see such examples, one need not go to the Congress. All we need do is look at those advocating local projects. We see the same thing of “If its for me, it’s good. If it’s for someone else, it is either “socialism” or “pork.” In other words, the standard really is “I am the center of the universe.” Another way of putting it is as follows, and which is at the foundation of both the economic and political philosophy. “This country is its people. I am a “people”. Therefore, it is all about me.”
Posted December 25th, 2008 at 5:33 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
I doubt if Mr Prestridge participates in these forums-too bad. I would love to hear his solutions. So many times the government, business,Democrats, liberals, Republicans, conservatives, etc, etc are to blame. It doesn’t occur to folks like Mr Prestridge that he is one or more of the above and is, in part, responsible for the ill (and good) of this country.
Simplistic, but “if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem”. Seeing one’s individual responsibility is the first step. Reducing your footprint is a good place to start. We can not shop/borrow our way out of this anymore than we can drill our way out of the energy/climate problem. Less is the new “more”.
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