The power of the private sector

For too many years business success in the private sector has been framed as a threat to public welfare -- this couldn't be further from reality. The fact that there are dishonest businesspeople and corporations with a pocketful of politicians says something about certain aspects of human nature and government interference in the free market and nothing about the generative force of the private sector. Plus, as pols are framing big business as a danger to public welfare they're neglecting to include the role they play in protecting big business from competitiion, thereby increasing danger to the public welfare.

In the main, private enterprise concerns which are left to compete, produce and innovate are the structure of the US on which everything else is built. Companies like Sapphire Energy are poised to change the world if their research proves to be valid. There is enough generative energy in the private sector that if left alone by government we'd have practically full employment and a growing economy that steadily raises the standard of living of every citizen in the country -- even those without much income would pay less for products and services through increased efficiency and lower prices and fees.

The fact that politicians regulate and tax success out of envy, a sense of "justice", and a selfish desire to transfer lucrative power to its own realm is a shameful reality that if people truly understood they would change with disgust and urgency. It can't be long before the government game is revealed through corruption, failure and enough information sinking into the consciousness of the private sector.

America is a country suited for production, growth and prosperity, yet we allow our government to interfere and place obstacles in the path of progress because we fell victim to our own success. Out of a generous spirit and an abundance of material holdings we fell for the con of equality and fairness which the government has cynically used to frame the argument as enlightened representatives protecting human welfare from greedy capitalists. We are in a technological age that is far beyond the populist manipulations politicians still use to keep people enslaved to an old Marxist-influenced mindset that savvy politicians picked up on long ago to empower the state and create positions of privilege for a certain class in our country -- corporate thieves and political thieves - one wanting the privilege of protected wealth, the other the privilege of protected power. As they struggle now to keep the rigged-game going, it's showing signs of failure and people are becoming more aware of the arrangement -- still, though, way too many people have become addicted to the payoff which has kept them quiet and sated. 

Continuing to transfer money from productive private endeavors to unproductive political schemes is catching up with the players much like Madoff's ponzi scheme which eventually caught up with him and failed. From the perspective of time, this scheme is only a minute old and falling apart. It's time to get past this ugly blip of selfish manipulation and allow free men and women in the private sector to do what they are meant to do -- achieve, grow, prosper and carry us all to the future. The sensational horror of a techno-controlled, robotic and impersonalized future might be good for selling a few books, but I don't believe that's our future -- neither is the utopian view of a government-protected population given their needs by benevolent leaders in white robes like Gods from Mt Olympus.

The libertarian view held by some that we can operate without a federal government through private protection and private dispute-resolution entities is something I think would be too convoluted, conflicted and confused, so I see a need for a minimal government, but as Jefferson envisioned (mostly), not Hamilton. Minimal government doesn't mean unimportant, because I believe a minimal government has an important role to play. Leadership that protects the public's basic rights, prevents corruption and maintains a position in the world as representing a truly free nation is vital. Leadership is important in verbalizing what we stand for as a nation, even if what we stand for is pluralism and no one or two bullet-points of jingoism. We don't need nationalistic zeal, we need leadership that simply represents a free society as a example of what freedom can accomplish, open to free trade and global cooperation. Others can follow if they like, but we don't hard-sell or force anything, merely show by deeds, results and language which reveals who we are.

Because there are no perfect people and power corrupts it's important for government to be constitutionally limited, and it's important to have a strong court system to prosecute fraud and abuse in all forms which violate individual rights. When corporations aren't protected by government favortisim, small and medium size companies can compete with better ideas, flexibility and efficiency, so there's little worry that a few powerful corporations can control the markets. Big and clumsy are liabilities in today's world and big business cut loose from government protection will fall flat if they don't become efficient, innovative and competitive. 

We have a private sector that is ready to grow and prosper, and all that's needed is for government to get out of the way and stop the central management. This will require a strengthening of The Constitution to clearly state the limits to government power --- the "public welfare" escape has caused too much damage.