They Don’t Get It – And It Shows
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
Reading through the web bio statements for a number of candidates who hope to be elected to represent their cause of bigger government in Carson City in 2011, it was interesting to see how often the repeated contention is made that solving our problems needs to be accomplished by diversifying the economy and attracting more business to the state. Not bad thinking, until you get to the “rest of their story” when they talk about the need to increase taxes on business (not quite saying “stick it too them”, but coming as close as you dare come and hope somebody will still vote for you).
We also see the very popular idea that education will lift our economy from the doldrums we are encountering – give the educational community more funding – and business will flock to the state (so they too can pay for the ineptitude of outcomes that we’re getting for our investment now)? It has been a frustrating dilemma to not be able to understand how the advocates for government expansion can claim they believe that a broader and diversified business sector is critical to Nevada’s future and then go on to describe the necessity of taxing the business community to fund their unquenchable desire to spend, spend and spend some more.
This post from Victor Joecks at "Write On Nevada" has provided the insights that I couldn’t understand…they don’t understand the way the economy works. Most of these folks (involved in union activities or working for government) don’t recognize the way that business enterprises operate. Their foundation is collecting a check, not dealing with the necessity of a business making a profit by serving customers.
When taxes, over-regulation and all the other contributing factors of enlarged government infringe on a business being able to make a profit – the folks who caused the problems with their ill-advised legislative actions – can’t (or won’t) take the responsibility that they should…because they don’t see (and they hope others won’t understand either) how they messed it all up.
After hearing news accounts on how our senior U.S. Senator, seeking re-election in November, is going to tell us how he’s working to put Nevada citizens to work – this same problem of disconnect is demonstrated with his vote against the resolution to protect our economy from the ravages of the expansion of the Environmental Protection Agency’s invented green house gas regulations. Driving energy prices higher (without cause or any expected benefit) for the sake of regulation is not going to cause higher employment in Nevada. Even if we can hope that his “powerful influence” can lure a few windmill or solar energy companies to Nevada – the offset of jobs lost from the government-caused higher energy prices won’t balance out in the end.
Studies show that the plan of substituting “green jobs” for a real, market-oriented, private sector based economy, ends up with an overall loss. Take away the government-sweeteners and the alternative energy option doesn’t even come close to being viable. That’s why the government has to force traditional energy sources to be less competitive, using restrictions on development and over-regulations to accomplish their desired objectives.
Those who believe that government can be a solution to our current situation are exactly why we have our current situation – whether they can figure it out or not.
Reading through the web bio statements for a number of candidates who hope to be elected to represent their cause of bigger government in Carson City in 2011, it was interesting to see how often the repeated contention is made that solving our problems needs to be accomplished by diversifying the economy and attracting more business to the state. Not bad thinking, until you get to the “rest of their story” when they talk about the need to increase taxes on business (not quite saying “stick it too them”, but coming as close as you dare come and hope somebody will still vote for you).
We also see the very popular idea that education will lift our economy from the doldrums we are encountering – give the educational community more funding – and business will flock to the state (so they too can pay for the ineptitude of outcomes that we’re getting for our investment now)? It has been a frustrating dilemma to not be able to understand how the advocates for government expansion can claim they believe that a broader and diversified business sector is critical to Nevada’s future and then go on to describe the necessity of taxing the business community to fund their unquenchable desire to spend, spend and spend some more.
This post from Victor Joecks at "Write On Nevada" has provided the insights that I couldn’t understand…they don’t understand the way the economy works. Most of these folks (involved in union activities or working for government) don’t recognize the way that business enterprises operate. Their foundation is collecting a check, not dealing with the necessity of a business making a profit by serving customers.
When taxes, over-regulation and all the other contributing factors of enlarged government infringe on a business being able to make a profit – the folks who caused the problems with their ill-advised legislative actions – can’t (or won’t) take the responsibility that they should…because they don’t see (and they hope others won’t understand either) how they messed it all up.
After hearing news accounts on how our senior U.S. Senator, seeking re-election in November, is going to tell us how he’s working to put Nevada citizens to work – this same problem of disconnect is demonstrated with his vote against the resolution to protect our economy from the ravages of the expansion of the Environmental Protection Agency’s invented green house gas regulations. Driving energy prices higher (without cause or any expected benefit) for the sake of regulation is not going to cause higher employment in Nevada. Even if we can hope that his “powerful influence” can lure a few windmill or solar energy companies to Nevada – the offset of jobs lost from the government-caused higher energy prices won’t balance out in the end.
Studies show that the plan of substituting “green jobs” for a real, market-oriented, private sector based economy, ends up with an overall loss. Take away the government-sweeteners and the alternative energy option doesn’t even come close to being viable. That’s why the government has to force traditional energy sources to be less competitive, using restrictions on development and over-regulations to accomplish their desired objectives.
Those who believe that government can be a solution to our current situation are exactly why we have our current situation – whether they can figure it out or not.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 6/11/2010 1:05 PM 
Categories: 2010 Elections
Tags: Nevada Budget State Spending Taxes 2010 Election Government
Categories: 2010 Elections
Tags: Nevada Budget State Spending Taxes 2010 Election Government
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