Sneaky Bastard

I’ve been listening to the recent political posturing about “stimulating the economy” with a package of government spending. It seems that the President and Congressional leaders from both parties are stumbling over themselves to propose the biggest and best. I agree that maintaining a healthy economy is a good idea — who wouldn’t? I even think that business tax incentives to encourage increased employment is appropriate. I’d love to see some new public works projects, such as mass transit, used to prop up that part of the economy (not holding my breath on that though). The Federal Reserve has dropped the funds rate aggressively, which should make capital more available, and appears to have settled the stomach of Wall Street. I’m fine with all of this, but what pisses me off to no end that as soon as the stimulus package legislation has been completed, and someone suggests that Congress should require some regulation regarding investor fraud, predatory lending, corporate collusion, or repeal of sweetheart subsidies, we’ll start hearing “No government interference with the Free Market!” For better or for worse, there’s no such thing as a free market.