John Lounsbury

The Failed Subprime Clampdown

g7enn - - -

Good comment. We have had the perfect storm of misguided social engineering, ineffective regulation, opportunistic greed and an economically illiterate populace (including our elected officials).

Free market philosophy? It has been too much free wheeling and not enough free will.

Too much government? Some say too little government. Both positions are wrong. The problem is not the size of government; the problem is the effectiveness (actually, the lack of effectiveness) of government. It is perhaps too idealistic, but, in addition to national security, we desperately need a government that provides an environment for individual and group initiative. We need a government that coordinates social structures needed for societal improvement, not a government that provides all social services. We need a government that does an effective cost/benefit analysis of all tax money expenditures. We need a government with enough intellectual capacity and curiosity to evaluate unintended consequences of all initiatives. You say that would gridlock government? I say not gridlock but well considered actions would result.

We just voted for hope. Is the ideal I describe too much to hope for?