by Mike Sylvester
The Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation (A conservative think tank) just came out with their most recent Index of Economic Freedom. This index measures the relative economic freedom the people of each country have. This study is performed by economists from around the world.
The study takes into account too many factors to list here: Taxes, corruption, government spending, property rights, regulations, barriers to business, tariffs, etc. The countries with the best ratings are countries that have a free market economy and small governments. The countries with the worst ratings have large and oppressive governments and a lot of barriers to free enterprise.
The Founding Father’s of this country envisioned a small government and a free market economy; unfortunately, our current politicians believe in large government and excessive regulation. The United States has fallen to being tied for the 12th best country in regards to economic freedom. This poor ranking is due to excessive government spending and the enormous deficits the Republican and Democratic parties have managed to accumulate since World War Two.
According to the research performed by these economists, 36% of the entire GDP of the United States is government spending. This is an amazing and frightening statistic. What this means is that the government spends over one third of all money spent in this country. The other two thirds is spent by the citizens of this country, the ten million illegal aliens residing in this country, foreign tourists, and American and foreign businesses doing business in the United States. Prior to World War Two, government spending in the United States was under 4%! The government is growing at an alarming and unsustainable pace.
Both The Republican and Democratic parties believe in large government and increasing regulation. Neither party has made any attempt to do anything other then grow government. The main difference between the two parties is what they want to spend our tax money on, not how much of our money, our children’s money, and our grandchildren’s money they want to spend. Both parties want to spend every dollar they get their hands on, this is not enough for them, so they are now borrowing from future generations.
Consider this; Germany is a socialist country in every sense of the word. Their government is large. They have large and generous retirement and entitlement programs, they have a government health care system, and they have all of the social programs you would associate with a Socialist country. The German government spends 49% of its total GDP.
The United States is not far behind. We are becoming more Socialist each and every year. We are losing our civil liberties every year. I used to associate this with the Democratic Party, I no longer do. The Republican Party has had a majority in the House, Senate, and a Republican President in office for the last four years. In those four years the Federal government has increased education spending by 78%, passed a large and ineffective prescription drug program that benefits the drug companies rather then our senior citizens, and increased spending on EVERY government program.
I believe in a smaller, more efficient government. I believe in the power of the fifty states to make their own laws without undue Federal intervention. I believe that bigger is not necessarily better. I believe that individual’s are responsible for their own actions. I believe we need less regulation and fewer barriers to business owners. I believe in the United States Constitution. I believe this country is still the greatest country on Earth; however, I believe it is in grave danger.
If you feel as I do, please contact me. We have organized a group of like minded people in Allen County and we are politically active in local politics. We need to elect some people to public office with views like ours and we need to keep the public informed about what our government is doing. Please call me at 260-338-0833 or contact us at AllenCountyLP.org.
Mike Sylvester
Chairman, Libertarian Party of Allen Country
Fort Wayne
About the Author
I am a happily married citizen in Fort Wayne, Indaina. I have two wonderful children. I am a returning adult student at IPFW preparing for the CPA exam.
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