For the past hundred years, the government of the United States of America has sponsored scientific research and financed massive technological undertakings which the free market would not have touched with a ten-foot pole. For example, the government made possible a transcontinental railroad that opened the Western part of the country to colonization and trade. The government built an interstate highway system that reaches every corner of the country. The government built rockets that launch artificial satellites into orbit and even sent people to walk on Earth’s only natural satellite. The government has set up a force which is referred to as “the military”. For its size (it is apparently the most formidable coherent force ever put together in the history of mankind) there are surprisingly few incidents of dissent and misuse within the organization [its misuse for political expediency can be counteracted by voting for the people most likely *not* to misuse it]. The government also built the first electronic large-scale network, which I am currently using to post this message. The government developed nuclear power plants, from which we derive 20% of our electricity.

Also, the US’s smaller administrative entities (the “States”) finance universities, which stimulate a tremendous amount of innovation in the form of educated graduates. These graduates take the knowledge they acquire from the state institutions and proceed to create small companies that in turn increase productivity within the “free” marketplace.

I am still waiting for the free market to accomplish this. Once the free market sends people to the moon, defends countries, builds highways, railroads, airports and finances risky technological undertakings, I will question the rationale for having a government that can “make it better”. In the mean time, I will go to the polls happily voting for whomever will work towards creating the next Internet, Space Shuttle or Interstate Highway System. In the USA, the “free market” should be grateful that its government is doing so much to promote trade, innovation, safety and cohesiveness. The “free market” has much to benefit, and very little to lose, from a close collaboration with the government’s elected officials and scholars.

Oh, and thanks for commenting on my blog. We need to link.

To your success,

Ptah

The politically correct police say that profiling doesn’t work. Common sense tells us otherwise. I remember when 80-year 20-term Congressman Dingell from Michigan was detained so long he missed a flight because his hipped beeped. (He had a pin in it dating from an injury during WWII.) While they were strip searching this obvious terrorist threat, how many people were no longer on their posts looking for real terrorist threats?

The biggest joke is cell phones. We can’t use them on a plane (thank goodness – who wants to hear, “Nothing much. Just flying to Idaho for some fishing. What’s new with Grandpa Hank?”) because they might interfere with navigation. Really? Then why don’t the terrorists bring on about 50 phones and turn them all on and call each other? But we can’t bring on more than 3 oz. of shampoo or a bottle of wine.

TSA – Thousands Standing Around. Think they are doing a good job? Vote for a democrat in November and let the government take over health care and anything else so that they can “make it better” than the free market …