Post free market America by Centinel

by Centinel
 
The election of 2016 is finally over and the zealots on each side are at a fever pitch. Similar to ancient Rome, who had their chariot races consisting of Blue, Green, Yellow, Red teams (which eventually coalesced into the Blues and Greens), America has descended into a year long super-bowl contest between the Reds and the Blues. Each side cheering on its savior while the issues of the country are ignored and decided in the back room. After listening to the arguments on both sides it reminds me that the choices we have are an illusion. The blue team now concedes that it may not totally repeal Obamacare and just “fix the bad parts”. Again, proof that once the power goes to Washington, it rarely leaves. The root of our dilemma is that the blue team no longer believes in free markets, free trade, liberty, or small government. For folks like me, it is vindication for what we have said all along. An example is the pre-existing condition part of Obamacare. The blue team who preached to us about government interference in the private sector a few years ago now have no problem with the concept. Why the change? Because their team are the ones who propose keeping it. This is one of many examples. Hopefully there will be a change of heart. Don't count on it though, it appears to be part of the movement. Where are we headed? Towards the abyss where business is free to operate but only under the conditions the government sets. Freedom of the press is fine, as long as the press does not print anything disagreeable to the government. Ford (or any other company) can build a new assembly plant anywhere they want, as long as the government approves of its location. Otherwise, their product will be penalized when sold in the USA. Amazon, oh they are in so much trouble. All those brick and mortar stores can’t compete.


This economic concept is not new. Many cheer it on. It has been tried and has failed on numerous occasions. It works for a while, sometimes several years or more. But then it implodes on itself. Mainly because the societal changes it brings creeps in and causes the system to fail. It is anti free market. I will let you figure out the name of the system. (Hint: It works best in homogeneous societies and has to have socialism for a kick start). This time its failure will be more catastrophic than in the past. Because the government has technology on its side. We are in a world where every business transaction can be tracked. As an example, thanks to the blue team in North Carolina, businesses that transacted labor only in the past, now have to report to the state and collect a labor tax. All under the guise of making things “fair” for everyone the state now sees everything a business does. (For the time being their pals in the advertising and lawyer business were excluded, but it won’t last. A concept known as incremental-ism) No doubt the red team was cheering on in the background (Orwell would be proud). Of course, the blue team zealots defend it. It has to be the right thing to do, the blue team did it! Regulation and fines are the power the state has. In the past, they could not regulate nor fine as they did not know what was going on. With computers and every transaction monitored it will only be a matter of time for the state to do what the state does best. Control.


Just like Rome the powers that be keep the population busy cheering on the reds and the blues. Liberty is taken off the table as an option, and the noose is slowly tightened.