| Bachmann was Right, This is "Gangster Government" |
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| Written by Craig Westover |
| Monday, 15 June 2009 06:38 |
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Asking for a little honesty from critics of GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann is a naïve hope, but absent honesty, we might at least expect some more intelligent criticism than this found in a recent Minnesota Independent article:
This "analysis" demonstrates the total lack of understanding of free market economics by progressives who equate "auto dealership-advocacy" with being pro-business or being pro-free markets. Bachmann was not criticizing Democrats' (or her own) dealership advocacy, but she was indeed blasting government policies that make that un-American (my word, not Bachmann's) activity necessary. In her remarks on the House floor, Rep. Bachman cited a Democrat Senator who arranged a meeting between an auto dealer and GM, which resulted in the dealership getting a disfranchising reprieve. She also noted that Democrat Barney Frank was able to arrange a meeting for a GM dealer with the same result. She, too, sought help for a local GM Dealer. "When I was on the phone today for over an hour with one of my local dealers," Bachmann said, "the very first thing out of her mouth was this: She said, 'This is the most un-American thing I have ever seen in my life. I can't believe that I lived to see the day that my country would come to this point where, having my dealership for 90 years, I get a letter FedExed to me that tells me I have until Friday to sign this document to not only give up my company that was made worthless--worth $15 million, made worthless overnight--now GM is demanding that she hand over her customer list, her service customer list to GM.'" The point Rep. Bachmann is making is not that Democrats and Republicans should not be working on behalf of auto dealers; she was lamenting and lashing out that such action is necessary. Instead of building business by providing the best products and services (and investing resources in doing so), the American auto industry now operates in a gangster-like environment in which it is more profitable to "invest" in elected officials than in one's own effort. "The Federal Government has set up a new cartel and private businesses now have to go begging with their hand out to their local--hopefully well politically connected--Congressman or their Senator so they can buy a peace offering for that local business," said Bachmann. "Is that the kind of country we are going to have in the future?" she asks. "We need to call this for what this is," Bachmann added. "We need to call this for what this is. Call it out. The American people need to get outraged and figure out that it could be them next." Bachmann is right. What is happening in this country is not capitalism. It is not free market economics. It is not "necessary" to save either capitalism or free markets. "Gangster government" is the blatant exploitation of fear, uncertainty and doubt spawned by an economic crisis created by decades of government meddling in the economy. It is "the law perverted" as Frederick Bastiat wrote in "The Law." It is the destruction of the fundamental principles upon which this country was founded -- the primacy of individual sovereignty, the sanctity of private property and the rule of law. This is, paraphrasing a line from Barry Goldwater, no time for moderation in defense of liberty. This commentary originally appeared in the Minnesota Free Market Institute weekly newsletter. Sign up at www.mnfreemarketinstitute.com. Share this TRUE NORTH article with your social network now! 
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