politics-and-governance

=**Politics and Governance**=

**Starter:**
How can too high of taxes hinder business growth?

**How Much Can We Carry:**
The average American citizen is like a hiker, and the government a pack on his back. No hiker can get far without a pck containing key essentials, as no citizen can get far in freedom without a military, police, and the Rule of Law. Somehow, though, the government keeps convincing the hiker that the pack should be bigger. This slows the hiker who attempts to get stronger and still works hard despite the increased burden. The government, or pack, continues to grow, which slows the hiker more. Eventually, the hiker fights to just keep from falling over backwards. At this point, slick politicians come to convince the hiker that increasing the pack even more will fix the problem.

Politicians have been able to convince the hiker, the American citizenry, to increase his own pack. How? One way is envy. If politician can make the hiker think someone else is carrying a lighter pack than him, he will vote to increase the other peoples' load and decrease his own assuming the power of government will never turn on him. A second way is class distinction. The same trick is used convincing the hiker that he is treated unfairly and someone else needs more added to his pack. Third is misplaced compassion. Most people are not educated on the inefficiencies and inconsistencies of government bureaucracy, so they mistakenly think the government can actually execute a social program effectively and thereby "help" people. In other words, politicians know that most people have kind hearts and truly want to make things better, not only for themselves, but for everyone. If the politicians can play to this, they now they will never beheld accountable for results because whoever would ring such doubts can be castigated as a "cold-hearted capitalist," or other such name calling which dodges the real question of effectiveness. A fourth way is misleading or false data. Economics and civics can be confusing if misrepresented and argued bout enough. The more complicated these subjects can be made to seem, the less people will listen to what is actually being said. This is true of almost all areas in which the government doesn't want the public to know what's actually going on. Eventually, the people will vote for a talking head that produces good sound bites and looks and acts the part. Altogether, convince the hiker that it is in his own best interest to increase his load, then get him to anything except the heavy burden on his back for his faltering progress.

Here is what politicians have convinced the hiker to allow to be don to himself:
 * Escalating taxes (either increase in rate or increase in what is taxed).
 * Deficit spending - yearly spend billions more than we bring in...results in crippling debt.
 * Exponential growth in national debt - yearly deficits year after year compounded by interest.
 * Skyrocketing unfunded debt (Social Security, Medicare, etc).
 * Massive international trade imbalance.
 * Inflationary monetary policies - prints money to cover deficit spending - devalues the dollar - prices increase - unofficial tax.
 * Swelling government bureaucracy - the unelected regulators who barely existed 100 years ago.
 * Enormous foreign aid grants.
 * Increase in the welfare state.

Any hiker that thinks he needs a heavier pack to make it easier for him to walk simply does not understand how the world works. Make no mistake - the pack cannot possibly increase indefinitely...eventually, the hiker will topple over.

**Tyranny Falls:**
Through history, tyrants believe they can deny the people their freedom and not suffer the consequences all tyrants eventually must face. Tyranny can only survive by threats, intimidation, and by blocking the free movement of people, ideas, and money. Tyranny is based upon lies and when the lies are called lies by the courageous people the end is near. Tyranny relies on the masses of people to sit by quietly and allow the walls to be built up around them. Leaders are usually criticized for standing up to tyranny There are many that thinking that peaceful co-existence with tyranny is possible and acceptable. President Ronald Reagan courageously called the Soviet Union out on its suppression of freedom and led the collapse of communist in Eastern Europe. He understood that tyranny only survives by counting on the passivity of the masses. John F. Kennedy stood up to tyranny in the Cuban Missile Crisis and prevented all-out nuclear war in 1962.

Walls are typically built for defense, but in 1961 Communist East Germany built the Berlin Wall to keep those in Communist East Berlin from going to the capitalist (and successful) western part of the city. Tyrants may implement a tyrannical system, but the people will eventually wake up to their plight. They will throw the tyrants out of power and give freedom back to the people. Tyranny is a house of cards and will fall when freedom-loving people act with courage. Communism feel in Eastern Europe from the inside. People always choose freedom over tyranny.

**A Thesis:**
There are four major reasons America got to the point it is at:
 * People are too quick to trust their government.
 * People don't notice the creeping infringement upon their freedoms by their government.
 * People don't understand or appreciate their freedom adequately, nor truly realize how it came to be, or how bad things would be without it.
 * Many are more interested in their own personal advantages than in justice for all, resulting in a "justice for us" mindset.

**Democracy in the NBA:**
This is humor and meant to be funny and teach some lessons since many have lost touch with free enterprise ideals. We would never do in sports what we do as a matter of course in business. Have you ever noticed how business people are portrayed in Hollywood? There is little recognition of their commitment, little celebration of their success, just criticisms for during to win a free enterprise business. In free enterprise, if you are not good enough you will fail, until you either get good enough or go into another field better suited for your gifts. The following satire is intended to help you understand that industry isn't helped by artificially keeping people in the game who have not earned the favor of the customers (which government often tries to do - example, Solyndra was given millions of tax dollars to produce solar panels, but went bankrupt).

Democracy has spoken! Sources in our all-powerful government have leaked to the press that HOPE NBA is rolling out. HOPE - Helplessly Out-skilled People Entering - NBA is an important government policy designed to give the less fortunate an opportunity to participate and share every boy's dream of playing in the National Basketball Association. For years selfish, greedy athletes with skills given to them through little effort of their own have taken most of the headlines and playing time in the NBA. Our government and many American voters became concerned about this blatant inequality. What about all the overweight, out of shape weekend warrior guys? Some have never been given their fair playing chance to show the NBA what they can do. One such person played elementary basketball and collected the basketball cards from some of the NBA's best. What about the season ticket holder? Doesn't he/she deserve to be cheered for too? Supporters of HOPE NBA had formed their own political action committee - CRYBABIES (Committee to Restore Your Belief in American Basketball's Integrity and Equality of Scores), which is backed by millions of angry fans who vowed to fight until this injustice is corrected. Anyone who can vote can now play in the NBA. The fact that the NBA players had voted against this shows their selfish hearts and the denial of the equality principle that America stands for today. Sources say government bureaucracies are working on a plan of maximum playing times for the NBA's All Pros to allow the less gifted and less committed the time sharing formula necessary to enjoy the American dream with playing time. It will be more equal when players like Lebron James are limited to 25 minutes per game and no more than 12 points per game - why would anyone need more points? Imagine the dignity and self-respect one would get when many can look at the statistics and see they scored equal to Lebron James. CRYBABIES around the country are elated by the latest developments, but many coaches questioned the wisdom of giving just anyone with or without skill playing time. One anonymous coach said that the NBA is facing fierce international competition by teams that are putting the best of the best on the court each night while the NBA is required to give equal playing time to those without skill. The government's response is that winning games while others have to sit in the stands and just watch isn't American anymore and that ensuring equality for all Americans is what is important over winning against other nations. One such unskilled player said he was finally proud to be American since he can be an NBA player despite not being any good at basketball. America is now a place where anyone without talent, commitment, training, effort, or size can play in the NBA. It just took the CRYBABIES to gather others and utilize the democratic process through voting and the government did the rest. Ticket says are down for all NBA teams, but the government is considering a tax to make up for lost revenue. There is also the option of just printing more money to cover. Many former NBA stars are in talks with other national teams who will pay based on performance. There are reports that several NFL teams have begun making similar decisions. One team that has never won a Super Bowl said it's unfair that the greedy teams who have won several Super Bowls and think it's all about winning trophies. In the past, this was called loser's envy, but today it's called equality.

**Big Government Goose Killer:**
How did we get to the point that many think the government can solve all of the problems with money and that more taxes is the answer? History has given its answer very strongly. It was once said that there is nothing more permanent than a temporary government program. This is the problem. What starts out as a small program, perhaps well-intentioned, extremely limited, promised only to apply to a select "few" becomes entrenched and continually grows in size. One politician once said when you rob Peter to pay Paul you can always count on the enthusiastic support of Paul. This has also become common. Take the U.S. income tax for example passed in 1913 with the 16th amendment. Promises were made that it would only affect "the rich" and that it would remain small. High taxes and burdensome regulations over the goose the lays the golden egg - entrepreneurs (who start and operate businesses) - they give up the goose. Taxing the engine of production that pulls the whole train along can only work to a certain extent. Eventually, the overtaxed engine can no longer pull against the resistance and all forward progress stops. The prime example was the 1930s with the Great Depression.

The Great Depression is the classic example of what happens in a free market economy when government officials think they can make better decisions than millions of free consumers. What started out as a normal market correction was followed by government interference in the form of price fixing, output caps, increased taxes, rampant government spending, huge protective tariffs, and government meddling in areas that should have been left to free enterprise. The result of government expansion under Hoover and then FDR resulted in a prolonged depression and in 1937 a recession within the depression. At first, the government experimented with different manipulations, looking for the right combination to "fix" things, all the while being sure to appear as if they were "doing" something to help. Americans were looking at the government as the solution to their problems, something that progressives believe.

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