2.27.2011

Michael Barone: Americans want free markets, not crony capitalism

In a column that touches on the same themes I wrote about in Government-sponsored income inequality, Michael Barone writes:
The recoil in 2010 against the Obama Democrats' vast expansion of the size and scope of government seems to have a cultural or a moral dimension as well. It was a vote, as my Washington Examiner colleague Timothy P. Carney wrote last week, expressing "anger at those unfairly getting rich -- at the taxpayer's expense."

Those include well-connected Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs that got bailed out and giant corporations like General Electric that shape legislation so they can profit. They include the public employee unions who have bribed politicians to grant them pensions and benefits unavailable to most Americans.

A government intertwined with the private sector inevitably picks winners and losers. It allows well-positioned insiders to game the system for private gain. It bails out the improvident and sticks those who made prudent decisions with the bill.

Modest-income Americans think this is wrong. They want it fixed more than they want a few more bucks in their paychecks.

The column starts out discussing how establishment politicians and academics are dumbfounded that the working class isn't falling for Obamunism. It's reminiscent of CNN "reporter" Susan Roesgen lecturing a Chicago Tea Partier that he should be thankful for the pork Obama is sending to Illinois.

1 comment:

SarahB said...

Title really says it all...

Happy Super Tuesday!