Government’s role is to protect innovation

In regard to Michael Lee’s letter (Fence Post. Aug. 26) listing programs representing socialism in America, he defends Democrats and the president, whose modus operandi is to increase the size and scope of government. First, allow me to add to Mr. Lee’s list of “socialism” already in America.

Exhibit A: Antitrust law. Unfettered free-market capitalism would have no such provisions. According to the “book of Lee,” perhaps we should tighten up antitrust law so we can really put the screws to business. Big-government thinking such as Mr. Lee’s has been abetting the piling on of more and more social programs and entitlements over the past half century. It can no longer be sustained.

That’s the entire point, Mr. Lee. We’re at socialism — today, already. If left to its default vices of any combination of more government through increased taxing, spending, and/or borrowing, liberal knee-jerk mentalities will destroy America. We must streamline government into proportion with what we can do, opposed to what we want. Holding government to levels constituting “vital services” is the conservative way, Mr. Lee. Nobody in their right mind would propose to eliminate government. That’s a liberal scare tactic with zero basis in reality.

Contrary to Mr. Lee’s brilliant nothingness, we must instead foster entrepreneurship and keep as many resources in the hands of the hungry and aspiring private sector economy as humanly possible. This is what spurs growth, Mr. Lee. Simple Econ 101: Individuals outside the public sector do the innovating, not complacent and wasteful statists.

Government is there to protect and provide a safety net, not be the engine of economic growth. I would hope the Daily Herald could see through such irrelevancy as Mr. Lee puts forth and in the future refrain from lending credence and forum to such misguided thought.

Terry Poulos

Arlington Heights