The Free Market

Tell me about the free market system. Where is it? It surely is not the system we have in the USA. Substities to farmers, small business loans, substities to oil companies, regulation of monopolies, and addressing issues that threaten the market forces - all of which occur frequently and are NOT a part of a free market economy.

Laissez Faire is a dream - not a reality and let's admit it. Anytime things are not running right, who are the first to the trough - businesses that have gotten into messes never refuse a government hand out. It is only when that hand out is given to others that it is heavily criticized. "Our medical system is "good enough". Our schools are "Good enough".

We have always been a mixed economic system - the government builds roads, maintains an educational system, justice system, military system and intervenes when business in the country needs to be stimulated.

I am happy to be an American. However, I don't think we have a perfect world here, and being the liberal I am proud to be, I am not, like some, satisfied to be happier than the people in Darfur or other places in this world. Count my blessings. Yes, I do. Count other peoples blessings - here is where I foul up. Liberal means in one sense that one believes that certain activities will make things better for all. The Conservative says "they're good enough now. Don't worry about the discrepencies." I guess I'll never learn.

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Comments

[Keith R. Carroll]

I noticed a comment that "liberal means in one sense that one believes certain activities will make things better for all" and "conservative says 'they're good enough now, don't worry about the discrepencies."

Either, I submit, is the standing political viewpoint and wrong on both counts. Way over simplified.

There are conserative Democarats and conservative Independents and conservative Republicans. There are far left and far right on each side that lead to extreme views that are destructive to our society.

There is a progressive movement that is popular today that I believe is destructive. There is a progressive stand that is beneficial.

Everything in life needs to be "progressive" whether in politics, religion, or anything else in life. If we don't "progress" we stagnate. The difference is, whether we progress with an established proven base of thought or do we "progress" from an established base.

The Constitution of the United States, for instance, has been an established proven base. All the pieces of our Constitution have been around for a long time in history, but at no time has it been assembled together in a workable form as has been by the United States.

This "leap" in innovative thought has created the greatest country the world has even known with technological advances never before seen. All other forms of government have been tried and failed.

Progression is necessary but not at the expense of the base. We need to build on, not tear down the founding principles of this country.

We, as all countries have their faults, but for those that envy other societies and countries, and feel we are so bad and evil, have never lived in other places. Most of the world would give much to live here even with all our faults. There is a reason for that. It's not hard to find if we really look for it and not listen to the propaganda fed us by political entities and the bias news media.