Firing the GM President

When Barack Obama fired the GM President this past week, and when Barney Frank proposed regulating the pay for employees of any company receiving federal money via bailouts, and when AIG employees who received promised bonuses were castigated in the press, all of this was done in the name of accountability. The thinking was that these actions were done to protect the taxpayers investment. Federal funding (bailouts) after all ultimately comes from taxpayers. The federal government does not earn money . . they only spend (or appropriate) money that in essence they take from us the taxpayers. I'm not saying that taxes are evil or wrong. We all have our share to pay in order to pay for the constitutional duties of our government. There is a big problem though when our government decides to take on duties that go beyond its rightful place.

But back to my opening sentence. These actions by Obama and Frank should be a wake up call to every American who cares about their freedom. I was thinking this morning of all the organizations, schools, colleges, non-profits, and hospitals who receive federal funding through grants, tax breaks, and giveaways. What would now keep Obama or Frank from taking action on any one of these groups? What would keep Obama from firing a college president or the director of a non-profit organization for really whatever reason he could devise. A college or non-profit receives some federal funding to operate, so the federal government now has the right to make personnel decisions for that non-profit or that college or that hospital. Heck, Obama is now offering muffler warranties.

Of course this kind of control has always been part of the deal when you get in bed with the government, which is why some colleges (Grove City, Hillsdale, to name two) have refused to go down that road. They were unwilling to sacrifice their freedom. That cannot be said for the majority of institutions in our country. Today each one of them now knows that this administration believes it has the right and the power to come in to control any institution or any business it wants, as long as that institution or business is receiving federal funds. So why do you think Obama is pushing for these huge spending increases and for far more evasive involvement of the federal government in things like health care and energy and education? Control. Power. Being the Messiah is not enough for him. He must be Lord as well. It amazes me that the same people who believed George Bush was arrogant don't see the arrogance of this guy.