Gawddamn Interventionists Are Moving the Goalposts Again
"The market can't be trusted."
"Too much economic freedom results in unplanned chaos."
"Better outcomes demand government intervention."
"An unbridled economy means the unworthy are unjustly rewarded."
"It takes too long for your economic theories to punish poor performers."
And on and on. Statists trot out all kinds of pragmatic arguments against free markets. Self-interest is inefficient, environmentally harmful, and sends money to the wrong people.
Well, how much is your damn GM stock worth now? The individuals who make up the market have decided automakers are not on track. They are bloated and tied down with products people no longer want. Payrolls and benefits are getting cut, merger talks are flying around, and market capitalization is at historic lows. And not just recently; this has been a regular news feature for quite some time.
"The market has spoken" as some of my less-than-precise fellow travelers might say.
So what do They want?
I know they don't appreciate the irony because everything is ironic in a system this profoundly dysfunctional. They just stopped paying attention.
Democrats bitch and moan about the harmful practices and products of an industry that can't make a dollar to save its life. For better or for worse, the Big Three have failed in their task to produce vehicles people want to buy. Their failure is manifest and complete. They took too long to shift production from trucks, SUVs, and standard sedans. They ignored the demographic bombs waiting in their union-privileged pension and health care plans. They misdiagnosed consumer demand and failed to forecast like the capitalists they pretended to be.
Therefore, they deserve to crumble so better management can take over and do something useful with their assets.
Right? End of story? The (nominally free) market works as described by so many tirelessly patient advocates such as myself?
Nope.
Gotta bail them out. Gotta tax us so they can survive. Gotta perpetuate organizations that clearly are not up to the task of responsible existence.
Is there any doubt that the furious contradictions will have any impact on these thieves and liars?
Sure there'll be "strong conditions" on the cash. Socialism will grow at a slightly faster pace, but when unions, companies, and state are all on board you can be sure everyone will get their own little outs as the situation demands them. Definitions too stringent to include these wasteful corporate beasts in the handout program? Redefine "viability"!
How's that vote for change goin'?