EDITORIAL OPINION PIECE
Stanley for U.S. Senate Campaign
Web Site: http://www.stanley2002.org
Contact: Michelle Konieczny, (303) 329-0481
Email: michelle@stanley2002.org

================================================================

The following editorial opinion piece is offered for your use by Libertarian Candidate for U.S. Senate, Rick Stanley.

The Shell Game Continues

The dust of last week’s terrorist attack upon the United States had barely settled before the corporate crybabies started coming out of the woodwork.

The airline executives came crawling out yesterday, claiming that their industry will be “harmed” to the tune of $24 billion. And who do they think should foot the bill? The people who own the airlines? Who reap the rewards when business is good, and who ought to bear the losses when it isn’t? Of course not. They think that you, and I, and every other American ought to pay, whether we’re buying airline tickets or not.

That’s the essence of the federal bailout proposal that’s currently being kicked around the halls of Congress. “Oh, we’re going to lose so much money because of those nasty terrorists. We just can’t afford it. Please give us some of the tax money you collect from other people, Uncle Sam, so we won’t feel so bad.”

Grow up! Get over it. It’s not as if the airlines are the only businesses hurt by last week’s terrorist attacks. What about the company that owned the World Trade Center towers? How about the travel agents? The hotel and motel operators? Restaurant owners all around the country? All those businesses have been hurt by the reduction in air travel. Should Congress be bailing them out with taxpayers’ money, too? Hell, no!

The federal government has no constitutional authority to take tax money from one individual and give it to another. In America, each of us is responsible for the consequences of his own decisions. When we make good choices we profit. And when we make bad choices, we lose. That’s how we learn. When the government insulates certain individuals and businesses from profit and loss, true economic progress is always retarded.

Here’s a suggestion for George W. Bush and crew. Instead of using the coercive power of government to extort money from hard working Americans who haven’t been within a mile of an airport all year, and then turning $24 billion over to the fat cats who run American Airlines, why not try something truly novel?

Run a telethon. Ask for donations. Tell the American people, “Those terrorists hurt my wealthy friends’ bank accounts real bad. Please be generous. Send your donations to the Fund to Rebuild American Airlines. Call 1-800-HELP-OUT right now. Operators are standing by to accept your donations.”

Now that would be novel. It would even be constitutional. I don’t think George W. Bush could raise any $24 billion that way, though.

================================================================
Rick Stanley is a Libertarian Candidate for U.S. Senate from Colorado
(www.stanley2002.org) . Stanley is a Denver businessman with 27 years
experience serving the construction, plant maintenance and fleet
maintenance industries. He is currently the owner and CEO of
Stanley Fasteners and Shop Supply.