Regulation

I do not have a lot to post today. BP’s catastrophic oil spill in the gulf speaks for itself. I am not someone who says there cannot be any drilling off shore, but I want a moratorium on it. If it is to be done at all, there most be very strict controls and an agency that actually provides oversight. What we are seeing now is the rule of money. It is pure greed with no conscience and little accountability. We are seeing this in virtually every industry. Not since the days of the robber barons have we seen such irresponsible and detrimental behavior. When Theodore Roosevelt started trust busting the great straw dog of socialism was used against him. When Franklin Roosevelt passed the regulations that helped to give us the most stable and prosperous economy the world has ever seen the great straw dog of socialism was used against him. The straw dog is exactly that. It is a contrivance used to create an unreasonable fear.

It is not about socialism; it is about social responsibility. We must have rules of the road. The government is the only entity that has the power to make those rules and enforce them. The anti-government, anti-regulation environment has created executives who walk away with hundreds of millions of dollars even as they drive their companies and our economy into the ground. The government must act as a good referee who does not allow the powerful to take unfair advantage of the people of this nation. Goldman Sachs should not be allowed to take advantage of unsuspecting investors by promoting securities it knows are worthless. Anthem Blue Cross should not be allowed to hike its rates through the roof while finding any excuse to withhold the coverage its policy holders have been paying for. Oil companies should not be allowed to make outrageous profits while failing to protect the environment and thus destroying the livelihood of people who depend on a healthy environment for their living. Politicians who choose to represent the special interests rather than you must not be tolerated. Important elections are now coming up. If you really want change you can believe in, you must work for it. Take your government back!