My Guiding Principles

I identify mostly with the honorable conservatives in our state and country.  Ronald Reagan expressed a vision of America that surely still applies.  I have lived in Europe and so have three of my sons.  I think the European  economic and social models are broken and I don't think we need any version of it here.

I believe in low taxes, limited government, the Bill of Rights, free trade, and private initiative.  The source of greatness in America is its people.  The government is of the people, for the people, and by the people.  We are witnessing the fecklessness of government intervention in the markets at colossal expense right now.  On the contrary, Ben Bernanke saved the banking system.  The Federal Reserve Bank performed economic CPR by resuscitating overnight lending between the banks last fall.  This was the function was intended for the Fed. and which it performed fitfully if not admirably.  On the other hand, the vast majority of the fiscal interventions of the Congress and Administration have been wasteful, ineffective, artificial, and politically motivated.  Cash for Clunkers is typical of them.  Only the funds that flowed into the projects that served the areas provided for in the U. S. Constitution have been helpful.  The highway construction is a great example of this.  Unfortunately for us only a small portion of the money went to these legitimate ends.

The answer to the revival of our economy is pretty easy:  Cut taxes on businesses and individuals and let the referees monitor for foul play.  The "teams" are ready and anxious to compete.  Central planning was a disaster for the Soviets and it isn't working here either.  Let us, the people, the businesses, the customers, the workers, get to work with a minimum of roadblocks and obstacles.  The ability of the American people to create wealth is uncanny.  It is our only hope of ever living up to our debt obligations and to improving our lives, our future, and our environment.