ECONOMIC MEDDLING

The level of intelligence, when it comes to matters of economics, are very low. What gets the blame for everything related to the economy is business. Now this makes no sense because businesses are trying to attract customers, not drive them away and yet they are accused of trying to gouge the consumer at every turn. A business is set up to make money in the most efficient way possible and yet they are accused by the media of wanting to cut their own throats.

Like Satan and any snake, a government who is responsible for the economic turmoil, hides in the shadows, unscathed by criticism. This is only possible because the masses have been educated by the public schools and they do not teach economic basics, especially the law of supply and demand. People do not understand what happens to an economy when the government increases the money supply, adjusts interest rates, and taxes everything that it possibly can.

When the government meddles in the economy, the result will be higher prices and these higher prices do not reflect increased value but a passing on of some government cost to the consumer. When a consumer has to pay a higher price for a commodity, then less of that product will be demanded. The law of supply and demand says that more will be demanded at a lower price. This is an iron economic law that cannot be broken with impunity, even though the government does this constantly.

The first thing that must be stated is that the government has a monopoly on certain functions that cannot be infringed upon by anyone. Among these are law enforcement, national defense, and public safety. Beyond these, the government is infringing upon the rights of the individual to live his life. What the government does not realize is that people need to survive physically and they will do what is necessary to ensure this. The government does not believe that the individual can take care of themselves without the aid of the government. This is nonsense.

I, for one cannot stand the government intrusion into my life. I know that I am in the minority. When it comes to voting, the older generation votes because they want to ensure that they get their government benefits. They have sold their independence for a mess of government security. What these seniors do not realize is how Social Security and Medicare work. They had their earnings clipped by the government to pay benefits for retirees. Now, that they are retired, I am paying for their retirement and they intend to keep this system going by sticking a gun in my back. They say, turn over my share of your earnings. I am entitled to it by government fiat.

Sen. Raymond Finney, R-Maryville, TN introduced a bill that would make antifreeze

manufacturers add a bittering agent to antifreeze. The reason for this inane legislation is so that children and animals would not drink antifreeze because of its sweet taste. The first thing that comes to my mind is who does he know that it has a sweet taste? Has he drank antifreeze? I do not know whether antifreeze has a sweet taste or not. I have never drank antifreeze. My mom just did not keep it in the refrigerator.

The next thing to consider is how often has a child or animal drank antifreeze and died? What are the statistics on this occurring? Is this legislation based upon emotion or upon objective evidence? Yes, there is the possibility that a child or an animal may accidently drink antifreeze. Do we pass legislation based upon probabilities or upon realities? If there is the possibility that a child or an animal may die from drinking antifreeze, why just add a bittering agent? Why not ban it completely? If it is banned completely, then no child or animal would die from drinking antifreeze. There the problem has been solved.

What is that you say, this is not practical because we need antifreeze for our cars. Why are you more concerned with antifreeze for cars than for children and animals? Adding a bittering agent to antifreeze is government intrusion. What it is saying is that you and I cannot govern ourselves by keeping antifreeze away from children and animals. No, the government must protect children and animals from their guardians. Guardians are idiots. Only people like Finney can protect us.

On the economic side of things, the antifreeze manufacturer has now incurred an added cost that he will pass on to the consumer. The consumer now pays more money for antifreeze. The consumer has a limited budget. He cannot continue to pay higher prices because of government intrusion in the marketplace. These legislative bills have on effect upon our wallets, whether we realize it or not.

This bill is not a function of government and therefore it is unlawful. It does not matter whether they have the power to pass it or not, it still retains its character no matter what. When the government steps outside of its parameters, any action on its part is unlawful. This is legislated stupidity and to those who understand things superficially, they will hail it as a good idea, not realizing that the government has legislatively called all guardians idiots. The true idiot in this case is the one who proposed this legislation and then passed it to the legislature.