by Rick Lowe
For some reason politicians feel a need to feed the myth that all businesses are corrupt and take advantage of their clients.
Here's an example:
The president of the United States, Barack Obama, recently headed another of his daily press conferences where he was accusing credit card companies of "gouging" their clients and as president he was going to fix that and sign a bill that was to be presented or is before the US Congress.
It is somewhat amusing, no down right disgraceful when politicians threaten to make a business practice "fair" to protect the consumer, yet they never see the unfairness of government taxation or see the need to protect the citizen from its voracious appetite.
You see, consumers choose to do business with a credit card company for example, but do we voluntarily do business with government or are we forced under the threat of fines or imprisonment to do what the political class want us to do?
For another angle on the same subject visit Cafe Hayak, where Dr. Don Boudreaux spells it out pretty clearly in this post…
I wonder if Barack and Co will offer cheap credit any time soon?
Obama and his predecessors in government created the financial fiasco precisely by giving cheap credit which, even being cheap, many could not repay.
But, back to home:
I am getting tired of producing in spite of government persecution through happenstance, bureaucracy, and arrogance when I do so knowing that I fund their idiocy including their interference in my business affairs.
I have said to a few Government fixtures,
“Either you tax me, hassle me, or beg from me, but not all three”
They have been doing all three for decades, and somehow we have continued to exist in business in spite of them, but in this current economic climate, when they are promising the Bahamian version of the Muslim promise of 72 virgins, that is for some of us being paid not to work, I don’t think Bahamian business can or will survive precisely for the reason that it is one more thing for us to fund.
I also have no doubt that they will fly in the face of all common sense and pillage at will until nothing is left of our economy.
Case in point? watch the duty rates increase July 1st. Although, I’m sure they will speak only of decreases, just like last time.
A bit harsh? Time will tell, but I will be wrong only if a miracle happens, because the odds are a trillion to one against them having any beneficial ideas or programs, nor will they allow us to breath, never mind help.
Will they honestly come and ask for our help?
I suppose not, after all, all we know how to do is succeed at making money, marketing, growth, expansion, employing people, innovation, investment, operational efficiency,yadda yadda yadda.
They better pray for one thing though:
They better pray I don’t stop all the above.
And I have thought of doing so.