Free enterprise vs. government control

The Pike County Journal-Reporter

Free enterprise vs. government control

Posted by

Walter Geiger

in Opinions

Monday, May 24. 2010

Comments (38)

By Arthur C. Brooks
The Washington Post

America faces a new culture war.

This is not the culture war of the 1990s. It is not a fight over guns, gays or abortion. Those old battles have been eclipsed by a new struggle between two competing visions of the country's future. In one, America will continue to be an exceptional nation organized around the principles of free enterprise -- limited government, a reliance on entrepreneurship and rewards determined by market forces. In the other, America will move toward European-style statism grounded in expanding bureaucracies, a managed economy and large-scale income redistribution. These visions are not reconcilable. We must choose.

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#1 David Rawlins on 05/24/10 at 11:36 AM

The federal government (the entire federal government on both sides of the isle) has sold our future for their power.

#2 Pike Patriot Homeowner on 05/24/10 at 04:15 PM

Please cut them some slack. This is a new administration having to clean up the mess Bush left us in.

IN GOD WE TRUST

#3 Anonymous on 05/24/10 at 07:04 PM

They are bought by corporations and banks. These businesses own us. I do not want their power expanded by removing the outlet we have as voters. Its idiotic.

#4 David Rawlins on 05/24/10 at 09:43 PM

Who was stuck with the mess Clinton left him. We can play this game all day the only common thread is they were all government.

BO is no more interested in doing the right thing than any other administration that's been in office.

#5 Observer on 05/25/10 at 06:25 AM

You're wrong (oh my). This "mess" goes all the way back to Reagon, the champion of all day naps and memory lapses. His trickle down economics started the decline of free enterprise.

#6 David Rawlins on 05/25/10 at 08:27 AM

Actually, you can go all the way back to the 30's and see where government intervention in the free market has either caused additional problems or made matters much worse.

As soon as the federal government began meddling in the business of states, this country began it's downhill spiral.

Until the balance between state power and federal power is returned (I think by eliminating the IRS and income taxes and allowing states to collect revenue then send a portion to the federal government) we will continue this roller coaster ride with extreme market swings.

So while my answer may have been incomplete it was never wrong.

Did Reagan make mistakes? Absolutely. Amnesty for illegals was one of the biggest. Now instead of a couple of million illegal aliens, we have 30 million.

Another thing, and I've spoken with many leaders in the republican party about this to explain why they lost the presidency to BHO. Reagan was too old to be president and so was McCain. The republicans/conservatives need to attract younger more inspiring leaders and I believe they are doing that. They also need to rediscover their conservatism and I think they are working on that too.

If the libertarian party keeps growing (and I personally hope it does), it will become a major party and most likely replace/reorganize parts of the republican and democrat parties.

#7 Anonymous on 05/25/10 at 08:52 AM

There is big business and small business, just like big and small government. Unfortunately, at times, both are corrupted by greed and power. When entities get too large, they loose the connection with the community, employees, and the reasons that they were created in the first place. As consumers and citizens we should vote with our feet, wallets and beliefs! Enough of the blame games, what are WE going to do? Has anyone's behaviors changed in the wake of the media overload of some of the aforementioned topics? Mine have: thinking twice where products come from and who will profit, and reading between the lines of what the media and politicians say. Resist the marketing and brainwashing, stop wasting time, and raise your kids to know that our freedoms should not be taken away! Bigger is not always better, smaller and leaner seems to be where change starts.

#8 David Rawlins on 05/25/10 at 09:07 AM

nice

#9 Sheila Tolley on 05/25/10 at 10:09 AM

If you cannot give Ronald Reagan the respect he deserves with the proper spelling of his name, quit blogging. If you capitalize obama, quit blogging. If you respect Clinton or Carter, quit blogging. My President, Ronald Reagan, would not enter The Oval Office without a coat and tie. Your Bill Clinton would not enter it with pants. The only way obama may help the United States is if he finds a way to divert the oil from the Gulf into Airforce One. Between the golf coarse and the friendly skies..he has no time to contribute to progress of our country. We have traveled from The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere to The Midnight Laws of obammy dear. That is all the time he has available to screw the United States left since they have not made glow-in-the-dark golf balls. Maybe one of his 57 states will invent those for him.

#10 Patriot Pike Homeowner on 05/25/10 at 11:00 AM

Yous peoples just are against all democrats. I use to be a republican.

IN GOD WE TRUST

#11 v smith on 05/25/10 at 12:19 PM

actually there have been several that have resigned and I was all for them resigning

#12 Sheila Tolley on 05/25/10 at 01:26 PM

The last 3 letters of both words say it all. Democ RAT...Republi CAN.

#13 Patriot of Pike on 05/25/10 at 05:07 PM

Can't we all just get along? We have a very important election coming up. Meet and talk with experienced Commissioner Parrish Swift as he takes it on the chin with a pie. He has come a longway. Roosevelt was not at the meet the candidates but his election is not until November, He has plenty of time.

IN GOD WE TRUST

#14 J.M. on 05/25/10 at 06:08 PM

Remember when Reagan made China the most favorite trading partner. Hopefully China will not pull the plug on buying our debt. Reagan made China the rags to riches story. And the U.S. riches to rags story.

#15 Concord Resident on 05/25/10 at 06:36 PM

This isn't a "new" administration. The dems have been in control of the senate and the house for years. The policies in place now are there because the dems voted them in.

Bush couldn't get anything done because the dems controlled the house and senate. Now there's a dem president and all hell is breaking loose.

Bush bailed out the auto industries, sure, but he did it because the dems voted for it. He gets the blame, though.

#16 Show some common sense on 05/25/10 at 06:46 PM

Roosevelt is a Democrat. That meeting was a Republican Party meeting, not a meet the candidates as advertised by the CFA. I guess they want to take over the local Republican party without even joining.

#17 Common sense? on 05/25/10 at 07:33 PM

Roosevelt is a Democrat. JC is a Democrat but he was there I gusee to report on cell phones ringing and anything else to support his district 1 commissioner.

#18 Sheila Tolley on 05/25/10 at 08:36 PM

You are good at history...JdotM. Be a sweetheart and tell us about the day the air traffic controllers quit during my Ronnie's administration. Reagan does more for the US dead than obama does alive. Plus he was a US citizen. Plus he did not bow before or kiss terrorists butt. In fact the only minus my Ronnie has compared to obama is that he only had 50 states when he campaigned and your ole boy found seven more somewhere. I think he is kissing up for some land in Cancun now. I hope he and the oil spill get there at the same time.

#19 David Rawlins on 05/26/10 at 05:33 AM

Yes and Clinton made in permanent in 2000.

#20 Sheila Tolley on 05/26/10 at 07:18 AM

Yes, it is. I am going to steal comment #2 and take credit for being the author.

#21 J.M. on 05/26/10 at 10:36 AM

They did not quit. I remember like it was yesterday Your Reagan said, You are Fired! And SCABS lined up to take their jobs. Go talk to Eleanor about it Tolley.

#22 Farmer Chris on 05/26/10 at 11:17 AM

Thanks for the positive feedback on my anonymous post. Ms. Tolley, respectfully, my posting does not appear to be consistent with your other statements, but since so many ideas and information are available on the internet, feel free to "borrow" my perspective. Let's focus on the problems which are usually independent of whoever is in control: We need elected officials that actually fix the process. We need business leaders that are committed to sustainable and ethical operations.

#23 Anonymous on 05/27/10 at 06:48 AM

(Comment removed)

#24 Sheila Tolley on 05/27/10 at 07:10 AM

Why are you here, oh credible one?

#25 Sheila Tolley on 05/27/10 at 07:46 AM

My Mom is up there talking to her now for me.

#26 LMAO on 05/27/10 at 07:58 AM

Typical response from you. Reagon (sic) fired the air traffic controllers exactly 3 weeks after returning from Poland where he praised the Solidarity movement for doing the exact same thing he fired the controllers for. "Your Ronnie" was a second rate actor who continued his mediocre performance in the White House. Now tell me this, being the astute politicist that you are... who would you consider to have been a good president since you're eliminated ALL the Democrats and none of the ..... others?

#27 LMAO on 05/28/10 at 06:51 AM

Once again you've ignored the point. And yes, Clinton upheld the firings.... 8 years after Bonzo reagon (sic) terminated yhe controllers' employment.

#28 David Rawlins on 05/28/10 at 04:40 PM

My reply was to the China as most favored nation status not the air traffic controllers.

I had two brothers that were ATC so that is one of the things that I disagreed on with Reagan.

#29 David Rawlins on 05/29/10 at 08:28 AM

As soon as the democrats obtained a super-majority in the house and senate (2006) the federal deficit doubled from 200+ billion to nearly 500 billion. I'm glad CR that someone besides me actually looks up these figures.

Bush did not have a huge deficit, the democrats did.

Look it up.

#30 Sheila Tolley on 05/29/10 at 06:40 PM

If the CEO of BP ran against obama right now, obammy would just be a sad chapter in U.S. history.

#31 J.M. on 05/30/10 at 07:35 AM

The evil twin is back!

#32 George J Mickle on 05/30/10 at 10:21 AM

I just can't help myself. I have an identity crisis and must post. I just can't help myself. And JC won't let Me have instant gratification on His Pollcat.

Please JC, Let Me post. I'll be nice.

#33 Anon on 05/30/10 at 12:00 PM

The King is back. Qualifying season must be over.

#34 JC on 05/30/10 at 04:01 PM

You've had dozens of chances to be nice.

#35 2 tall on 06/01/10 at 06:18 AM

And apparently the idiots never left.

#36 Sheila Tolley on 06/01/10 at 08:54 AM

You are right, 2Tall...Idiots breed like horny roaches.

#37 J.M. on 06/01/10 at 02:16 PM

Sheila, Please don't call yourself a cockroach. Just keep telling yourself your better than that.

#38 Sheila Tolley on 06/01/10 at 02:42 PM

But, just like the one in The White House, they seem to live forever.