A liberal penchant to kill golden goose

Reader, A. Nelson, and others have taken umbrage about my earlier assertion in the Herald that liberals hate success.

I used liberal bias against successful large businesses only as an example.

I could have offered other examples where the success of smaller firms, entrepreneurs and financial risk-takers have been similarly reviled by those who want heavy-handed government controls applied to curb "abuse" assure "fairness" for all.

Frankly, reader Neslon's well-intentioned comments suffice as proof of the point I was making--particularly with his reference to Harvard economist Ravi Batra's views of big business.

Among other things, Batra faults big business, abetted by the Federal Reserve management, for the country's woes while under-playing the major contributions errant Congressional fiscal policy has made toward undermining today's economy.

The economy's health is dependent upon a delicate dance that includes steps of monetary and fiscal policy. Bad moves in either one can lead to problems.

Nelson advocates breaking up the big corporations even though it is obvious that large combinations of businesses occur because they are economically advantageous.

Government doesn't need to do this. It happens naturally. If being big becomes a liability then, as we have seen many times, companies divide themselves into smaller and more efficient entities. Worse yet, they go bankrupt.

Nelson wants "heavy taxes on their (big business) directors." I guess liberal "fairness" requires that more taxes should accrue to those who happen to serve on corporate boards. It seems that stepping up and directing organizations to success is a bad thing that should be punished?

Bottom line? In our free enterprise capitalistic system, business (big, medium, and little) is the golden goose that lays the golden eggs.

Other than customs duties, taxes from business are the U.S.'s only source of income.

Personal income taxes are, of course, just derivative from corporate payrolls and dividends.

Sure, it makes sense to put a little fence around the goose to assure that it doesn't stray (modest government oversight); but it also makes more sense to feed, water, and otherwise care for the goose.

The liberal penchant for harming the goose may make sense to Prof. Batra and Mr. Nelson, but it makes no sense to me.

Charles F. Falk

Schaumburg