Is Government Ever The Solution?

Many people look to government to solve all of our problems. Business, such as those related to the economy or social, such as homelessness for example. Lets look at why this idea may not be the best idea.

Back in the 1980's George McGovern retired from politics after 30 years of public service. Upon his retiring him and his wife bought a small bed and breakfast. I believe it was either in Vermont or Connecticut. Two and a half years later the McGovern's business went bankrupt. Afterwards He was quoted as saying that he really had no idea what running a small business entailed. So, here was a man who for thirty years helped set business policies in Washington, first as a Congressman, then later as a Senator from South Dakota and he could not even make a success of his own business!

Almost universally all of our politicians in Washington have a background in law. How come we don't have elected officials with a background that is more suited for the job at hand. For example, say in academia for education or a background in business for economy related matters. From our elected public officials to the lobbyists and the great people that run PAC's, Washington is run almost exclusively by lawyers, Is it any wonder that 85% of the worlds lawsuits are filled right here in the good old United States!

As I read about all of the partsian infighting presently going on in Washington over the Obama administration's Two-Trillion dollar plus bailout package ( that's what it will cost after everything is said and done) The biggest accomplishment that ever seems to come out of that city is grid lock, bureaucratic red tape, higher taxes and pork barrel spending. Because of partisanship and the clash of huge egos who think that they always know what is the best for the rest of us why should we ever expect anything different? Lobbyists in particular, are only there to make sure that the interests of who they represent are heard and not for the working men and women who are responsible for building this county in the first place.

I believe that the problems that are business related should for the most part, be solved by business. Now I know that a lot of people would think that this idea is akin to letting the inmates run the asylum but what is the alternative? To have elected officials who have no clue such as George McGovern did to try to fix the economy! In order for such an idea to work however there would have to be a true performance based free market system where the accountability would have to come from within the business community itself. The folks at Enron for example would not have gotten as far as they did if there was not a massive amount of duplicity going on.

I am not encouraged that this counties problems are going to be solved anytime soon by the current administration.