I had to respond to a letter to the editor in today's newspaper (Columbus Republic), although now that I have, I'm wondering whether it was a good idea.
Oh well, too late now. Here's what might be showing up in the paper in the next few days.
To: editor@therepublic.com
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 10:45:54 AM
Subject: Freedom
Dear Editor:
Tom Lane's straw man case about the uncaring and unfeeling free market invites a thoughtful response.
Yes, the idea of free markets has no regard for persons. Free markets choose winners based on qualities like ingenuity, productivity, and creativity. Efficient free markets led to an unprecedented run of prosperity for America over the last 25 years or so.
Was it the free market capitalist system that led to the suffering we are all experiencing with today's economic meltdown?
No.
Irresponsible behavior by companies in a free market rightly leads to their failure, after which they are replaced by more responsible and better-run companies. In the case of the current economic crisis, the systemic failures can be laid at the feet of government.
The blame rests with both political parties, who actively encouraged financial firms to over-leverage themselves with extremely risky investments, while conveniently forgetting about existing antitrust law that should have guaranteed there were no American companies "too big to fail". Ironically, the very same congressional players most responsible for creating these conditions remain in charge of the "recovery".
Tom does not propose an alternative solution to the free market capitalist system, so I must assume he supports the socialist alternative, which the ruling party is quick-marching us to as I write this letter.
America was founded on the fundamental principle of freedom. The inalienable rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness remain the heart and soul of what has been the most successful and prosperous nation in world history.
Tom's leaders have demonstrated their disdain for these principles. Radical changes either already passed into law or working their way through our one-party ruling class guarantee a laundry list of abrogations to these founding principles.
Our freedoms are being rapidly replaced with a paternalistic government that will dictate how much money we can earn, whom we must hire and may fire, which medical treatments and procedures we are permitted and which are dictated to be performed and funded without regard to moral objection, what we may eat or drink, what sort of car we may drive, what property we may own and how we may use that property, how much of our accumulated wealth may be passed to our heirs, and perhaps even what we are permitted to think, believe, and say in public.
Mr. Lane's straw man of an unfettered capitalism forming the root cause of today's economic ills seems to be covering up the fact that the cure is much worse than the disease. His ideological alternative will confiscate from the productive and give to the non-productive, skimming a healthy amount off the top for the new ruling class of government apparatchiks.
My humble suggestion for a better way out of our economic mess is, rather than "bail out" the irresponsible players and sell our country to the Chinese to finance opportunistic national transformation into a leftist utopia, perhaps we should rely on ourselves and each other. How can a government that is proven corrupt and more adept at creating problems than solving them suddenly be trusted to manage some of our largest and most important industries, let alone each of our individual lives?
Let the bad players in the market fail, and sell them off piece by piece to more responsible companies instead of nationalizing them under government-appointed political operatives. Encourage invention and innovation by entrepreneurs to provide plentiful, cheap, clean energy, instead of nationalizing the energy industry and imposing painfully high consumer costs under the dishonest "cap and trade" policy. Fix the underlying problems that led to the high cost of healthcare to make it accessible and affordable for everyone, rather than simply adding cost and harming access by nationalizing that entire industry.
Tom and his half of the country live in an alternate universe, where it seems emotion rules and common sense is unwelcome.
Thank you,
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