I'm not necessarily against a managed economy or government involvement, although I'm definately against tax payer funded direct and targetted financial incentives to any single private entity. I was mainly pointing out the hypocrisy from those in the conservative economic crowd that still supports this type of tax payer based corporate welfare.
On a national level, I would agree, but not on a state level. As long as states have to compete for economic viability, there will be incentives paid to the largest providers of jobs...... another tenet of capitalism..... the ability and freedom to negotiate.
The type of system I prefer is the one that successfully built this country until we abandoned it for the current system. The founders and later forefathers, preferred a bit of protectionism where the government manages import and export through taxation and tariffs and the referring of existing business through reasonable regulation and anti-trust enforcement.
It's a short step from managing imports and exports through taxation and tariffs to subsidizing business. Both favor or penalize one business or industry over another. Take a look around at industries that no longer exist in this country - victims of tariffs and managed trade - the apparel industry comes to mind vividly for me. That one was "sunrise" protectionism for the silicon valley crowd at the expense of the "sunset" textile and apparel makers. How's that working out?
And don't forget that the War of Northern Aggression was the direct result of tariffs and taxation - with funds collected from southern plantation owners used to pay for northern projects.
Frank
