Be leaders, not investment advisers

We elect political leaders, not investment advisers, not venture capitalists. We expect them to set policy and create conditions for good economic growth.

In 2008 we seem to have gotten a group of politicians who think it is their mandate to become all of the above, using taxpayers’ money. Picking winners and losers based on their party affiliation or whether they had contributed to a campaign is not a reason to guide capital to them.

In a year when the budget deficit is $1.6 trillion, we guarantee a loan to Beacon Power for $40 million, Solyndra $535 million and others we just won’t hear about until after the 2012 election, and we allow ourselves as investors to be subordinate to those who were the campaign contributors, to the president and other Democrat politicians.

Now both companies are in bankruptcy and we will never see a penny of the money we will have to pay to the lenders.

If we, as private citizens, did anything close to this, we’d be sent to jail and all our assets would be confiscated.

Will there be any penalty for the President, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of the Treasury or any politician who lobbied for these financial leeches? No, they will have federal pensions and be able to laugh, over drinks and cigars, about how stupid taxpayers and voters are for letting this dishonest stuff go on.

Dr. Phil would say, “And how is that working out for you?” Not good for me, but I didn’t get any money from them or any loan guarantees, did you?

Wilton Jere Tidwell

Huntley