Blame the Government?
By Jim Palmer Jr.

It seems fascinating that many US citizens think our POTUS is like a king and has the ability and power to control the economy.  Since I’ve been alive (over 6 decades), most of our Presidents have taken credit for anything positive in the economy, as if they were the direct cause and effect.  I don’t buy that argument, but what I do believe is that our capitalistic form of government is the best system to allow the most freedom for its citizens and when we are allowed to freely interact without government interference (regulations or burdensome taxation) our system works wonderfully. 

It is true that some bureaucrats have respected our freedoms more than others.  When that happens, it seems to unclog the system and allow it to flow freely and prosper.  The opposite is also true.  But despite differences in opposing political factions and no matter who sits in the White House, our economy has remained the strongest in the world.  Why else do peoples flock here from other nations day and night?  Wouldn’t it be refreshing if those bureaucrats had the humble attitude of public-servant instead of the inward mind-set of large-and-in-charge”?

Another fact that can’t be overlooked is that a capitalistic economy gets a little messy at times.  That means the economy ebbs and flows and self corrects.  Sometimes the self-correction is painful, but it seems when government interferes or acts like they have a bottomless wallet, the ebbs in the economy are exacerbated.   The massive over-spending by Congress and the manipulation of the interest rate by the Federal Reserve may fit into this category.  While raising interest rates may be a well meaning attempt to curb inflation, it has had a very negative impact on real estate sales, especially first time home buyers. 

Only time will tell, but my prediction is the strongest economy in the world will not hold still for long.  We’ll get conditioned to higher interest rates and a harder way of doing things and we’ll overcome like we always have in the past.  Those low, low interest rates are probably a thing of the past!  Our ingenuity will eventually overcome negative influences that have temporarily clogged the pipes of prosperity.  Some may care who gets assigned the credit when it starts to flow again, but in the end the real truth is the credit belongs to WE THE PEOPLE and our industrious lives.