The Inevitable Outcome

The American people have a tendency to clamor for someone (meaning government) to "do something" to save them from any level of unpleasantness, let alone an inconvenience. It has been bred into them since Dr. Spock counseled not to give an unruly child a swat to the behind but rather to cajole them with praise and a cookie to modify their behavior. The strategy is good, but not always effective.

So, when the Bamster took office, we had seen an incessant media hype of a recession deepening, despite the fact that technically the definition of a recession--two consecutive quarters of negative growth--had not been met. The slavering masses demanded he "do something" and he was prepared, nay, even eager to do it. He seized power with enthusiasim and given the keys to the printing press began distributing largesse in previously inconceivable amounts.

Even when financial institutions didn't want or need the funds, they were strong-armed into taking them, thus rendering them subject to government regulation and oversight--a euphemism for control, management and dictatorial unrelated to sound business practices. When the US auto-makers didn't promise to make a million econo-boxes powered by rice wine and solar panels, he nationalized them and doled out their assets to his favorite union.

When the government controls large segments of the market, they can exercise their leverage of prices, labor costs, raw materials access and restrictive taxation on competition to hamper the private business competitors. Where does it all lead?

The Harsh Realities of the Eventual

That analysis tracks exactly with what I've been thinking. There is not much time left for American entrepreneurism and capitalism to whimper and the days of flourishing are over. We will never see another Carnegie or Penrose or Rockefeller. There will be no more Microsofts or Googles or Amazons. There will be Government Motors and the North Iowa Corn Growers National Combine and the Federal Fuel Dispensing System.

It's a future of Ladas and Mao suits along with gray stone monolithic People's Apartment buildings down the street from the Government Store.