Wow? Is anyone else watching this?

A government that can do anything FOR you, can do anything TO you. (I don’t want to claim credit for this one, but I can’t find the quote…)

Remember that.

Ask yourself, if the government can tax someone else 100% of their bonus (AIG), or fire them from their job (CEO of GM), then what will keep them from taking your job? In fact a measure just passed the banking committee that says that Congress will be able to control the salary of EVERY employee of a TARP bailout company. Remember that none of this was a part of the original bailout agreement. The government is rewriting the contract with these companies as they go.

Do you realize what your government has done this week?

They not only removed the head of a publicly traded company, but they revoked that company’s business plan and forced them into negotiating with government officials who have no experience running a car company? Are they planning to put in new board members? Are we suddenly going to see the GM board of directors populated with UAW stooges? What is the limit of the government’s authority in this situation? Is the head of GM going to be appointed by the president, after all, the last one appears to have been fired by the president?

Does this make anyone else nervous?

This is what happens when government strays from its purpose. This is what happens when we operate outside of principles.

The government should not have entertained bailing out any company. The government should have no vested stake in any business. The government should not be running car companies or backing up car warrantees (!) any more than they should be involved with dictating mortgage qualifications. The only involvement of government in business should be to insure that ethical business practices are followed and a free market preserved.

What’s happening now is ridiculous. It’s frightening. The executive and legislative branches are in a contest to see which one can claim more power in the quickest and most outrageous manner.

This could be a very painful lesson for us all.