Freedom Fired, And Forgotten
By Henry Lamb
December 3, 2007
Page 2 of 2
Evidence: the first two-hundred years of freedom in the United States, compared with two-thousand years of societies managed by some form of ultimate government power. In a free society, individuals compete to produce the best product or service. In a managed society, competition is bad; equity is the goal. Schools have been encouraged to not allow children to keep score in playground ball games. They contend that losing causes emotional damage, and winning creates the idea of superiority.
In a free society, competition keeps prices as low as possible and promotes innovation. In a government managed society, prices are set, directly or indirectly, by government. Innovation follows government grants - which must first be taken from the individuals who earn the money.
In a free society, businesses go bankrupt when they do not provide goods or services for which people are willing to pay. In a government-managed society, businesses that find favor with the ruling party, stay in business; those who fall from favor with the ruling party, are closed. In a free society, farmers may raise animals they choose to raise; in a government-managed society, such as England, farmers who fail to register their animals with the government are subject to lose their animals to government slaughter - without compensation.
Who, in America, can champion Vladimir Putin's iron-fisted control over the press? Who, in America, can champion Myanmar's, China's, or Pakistan's absolute refusal to allow political opposition? Who, in America, can see the slow slide toward this very form of intolerant government by those who seek laws to silence Rush Limbaugh, and other outspoken critics?
The society that trades its individual freedom for management by the government is, indeed, like the corporation that fires its founder, and chief producer. Without freedom, America cannot prosper, and may not survive.
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Henry Lamb is the executive vice president of the Environmental Conservation Organization (ECO), and chairman of Sovereignty International .
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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA. >> Back -- Page 1 2
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