The "handout line" in Washington continues to grow. In addition to "bailing out" financial institutions, Congress and the Administration now seem to be in favor of coming to the rescue of the automotive industry. And although there is still no definitive relief for mortgage-holders there are a several plans under discussion.

All of this "vital aid" will of course be financed by the taxpayers (one way or another) and will come complete with newly-appointed "czars" and a massive increase in the bureaucracy to draft, apply and oversee the myriad new regulations that will be crafted to protect the public interest.

I find itiInteresting that the Democrats and their leadership, who have historically insisted that they are on the side of the "little guy", are now falling all over themselves in their eagerness to provide endless funds for those "evil corporations" that they have been so quick to vilify.

This government assault does not bode well for the free market system. Indeed, many of the same people responsible for our current financial woes appear to be on the verge of being tapped to supply the solutions to the problems that they took part in creating. Hello? And I cannot fathom why auto executives are so eager to hand over control of their businesses to a government that is unable to responsibility manage our country's financial affairs, let alone bring order and profitability to a massive, world-wide industry.

Is America on the verge of abandoning our history of capitalism and free enterprise and resorting to the socialism engineered through government economic and social intervention that has constricted the growth of European nations for decades?

There has finally been an admission that we are firmly in the grip of a recession. But is the solution to follow the inclinations of a fiscally irresponsible government and increase our national and personal debt to "spend our way out" of this financial mess? Please keep in mind that those advocating this path are the same people who coerced lending institutions into providing mortgage loans to home owners and buyers who had little means to repay the borrowed money, the same members of our government who saddled auto makers with ever-increasing environmental protection requirements that added thousands of dollars to the price of every vehicle produced.

Despite a recession that is now touted as being the worst in decades, our government (and government-to-be) is suggesting new "economic stimulus plans" to inspire us to purchase more goods than ever - but since many of these items are no longer produced in America, little of that money will find its way into our national economy.

Instead, what if the public - and government, State and Federal - cut borrowing and spending, paid down debt, began living within our means and determined and initiated some necessary sacrifices?

For decades, local and Federal governments have funded their expansion through ceaseless bond issues which allowed other nations, such as China, to amass much of our debt. This is no time for massive new spending programs that will have to be funded through additional borrowing (bonds), onerous new taxes (further hampering economic recovery) or simply printing more money (resulting in the further weakening of the dollar and accompanying inflation).

"The budget should be balanced, the treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work instead of living on public assistance" ---Cicero, 55 BC

Do we have the willpower, as a people, to force ourselves and our government to make the decisions, despite the discomfort, that will allow America to regain its financial strength?

"Spending our way out" is not the answer.

E-mail this entry to a friend