TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hernando Today

Credo Should Be: 'Too Big To Succeed'

ADVERTISEMENT

By DOMENICK J. MAGLIO

Neo Traditionalist

Published: March 12, 2009

Updated:

Taking money from taxpayers to bailout international companies strips freedom from all citizens. Our economic system has always been based on winners and losers — not entitlements. Anointing certain international companies or other special groups to succeed and others to fail is un-American.
The United States Constitution has granted the freedom of all people to fail or succeed by their own actions, unlike the more aristocratic societies of Europe. In these nations, social status determining success is established at birth. There is no mention in our Constitution that home values will always rise, that gambling on the stock market will always be profitable or large companies will always remain on top.
"Too big to fail" is impractical, illogical and contrary to everything that has made America the land of opportunity. In the U.S. people and enterprises move up and down the economic ladder according to the merit of their performance, not on their lobbyist's connections or their size. Every citizen has been given a chance to compete on a more or less level playing field. The rules have been: The better product and organization wins.
Government can suppress freedom but is too distant from citizens' daily lives to micromanage society efficiently. Communist and socialist nations with all their promises and questionable "good intentions" in the long run cannot produce vibrant societies. China and India's economic miracles only occurred after they unleashed people's energy and spirit by freeing the markets. They allowed people to make a profit rather than attempt to control people "for the greater good."
The larger a nation or an organization becomes, the more difficult it is to maintain high standards. When civilizations are unable to justly manage the extremities of their empire or grow too rapidly, there is a breakdown into smaller entities. This has recently happened in the Soviet Union, with smaller satellite areas falling away leaving Russia as a much smaller nation.
In the same manner, the larger a corporation grows, its mission becomes distorted and diffused. The expanding bureaucracy of a large entity requires its workers to devote more time to do paperwork, logistics, supervision, motivational and teaching sessions to keep everyone on the same page. It becomes less able to rapidly respond to changes in the market. This is our capitalist system where success is rewarded and bankruptcy is seen as a painful but necessary correction. Bloated organizations implode, and new streamlined organizations replace them.
Protected international corporations are not the engine of America. It is small business. Small businesses create 80 percent of all new jobs. People who lose their jobs in a dysfunctional company either start new companies or are hired by competitive and more efficient ones.
Rewarding mismanagement through corporate welfare bailouts only delays the needed change. Acknowledging mistakes is necessary to keep a nation, company or person vigorous. This is part of the economic cleansing process. Accepting failure as nothing more than a reality check should be embraced, not shunned.
In the short run, success can breed softness, laziness and corruption of character. Eventually it does lead to loss of commitment. It is the reason it is more difficult to remain on top than to reach it.
American citizens on the left and the right are losing sleep. We intuitively understand that delaying the pain by printing more worthless money instead of facing our problems head on is just another mistake. Bankrupt businesses with laid off workers do temporarily suffer. The failure and adversity they face teaches them invaluable lessons that can lead to a better future.
Government taking our freedom and our money is not an answer to the normal ups and downs of the business cycle. American people making the necessary lifestyle changes will help their personal situation and the economy. Freedom of choice of millions of Americans is far better than a few bumbling elites attempting to tinker to right our economic woes.
America's government schools, post office, Medicare and Medicaid health programs have and will continue to be expensive dismal failures. Now these same bureaucrats want to nationalize large, corrupt, ineffectual companies under the banner of "too big to fail."
The concept of "too big to fail" is an oxymoron. It should be "too big to succeed." Divesting parts of a dysfunctional corporation or bankruptcy is a better option then placing the burden on taxpayers.
Government and corporate bureaucrats should not continue to enlarge their territorial kingdoms at the expense of our economic and personal freedom. This will only lead to a dull, stagnant freedom-less nation.

Dr. Domenick J. Maglio, Ph.D., is the author of "Invasion Within" and "Essential Parenting." He is a psychotherapist and the owner/director of Wider Horizons School. Visit: www.drmaglio.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT