Greedy politicians undermine business in US

T.R. Fehrenbach:

President Calvin Coolidge said that the business of America was business, for which he was castigated or ridiculed by the aboriginal American intelligentsia.

Coolidge was disdained because he didn't do much in office, but few presidents did unless faced with wars, rebellion, or other crises.

But the fact is, old Cal was right. Business is the thing most Americans do best, even better than government.

Everything that we do well, after all, depends on American business. Good government, military power, employment, charity, standards of living and serving as refuge to failed societies depend on the health of American enterprise. As business goes, so goes the nation. This should be evident in recessions.

The majority of Americans work and therefore eat and pay taxes because they are involved in some sort of surplus-producing private business, from industry to sales to finance to science and agriculture. Enterprises such as charities, education, and government — non-profits in general — are utterly dependent on profit-making business for funding. You'd think people would grasp this when things get rough.

But many simply blame business for their problems. Rather than rally, repair, and support enterprise, many want to kick it when it's down. Most downturns result from government policies (too much credit or too little; remember, government completely controls money and credit) but governments never blame themselves. And instead of saving business, most try to save themselves.

There are many reasons for this. Business is always being undermined by the demons inherent in democracy: greedy politicians and populist programs that gut it. By and large, educators and clergy, who create no wealth, put other callings first. Bright people are urged not to go into business and make money but to serve their fellow man. The problem is, nobody can serve anybody without the wherewithal. Many people who live off donations and taxes affect to despise the source, much in the manner that clean-handed lords despised their grubbing serfs.

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I think Democrats are the greediest of politicians when it comes to taking other people's money in order to use it to buy votes from their constituents. They are constantly saying the rich are not paying their fair share when they are already paying the vast majority of income taxes. The only programs they show any willingness to cut are those that provide for the common defense of this country. Looking to cut defense in a time of war after they have added two trillion dollars tot he budget is perverse.