Free market fascists!

Senators Shelby, Vitter, McConnell, Cochran, Wicker et al.

I believe there is a widely held view in America that we are a nation of sinners--profligate spenders, debt-junkies and commie leeches of the government or advocates of the social cause who suck off the tit of the true "wealth creator," which is the free market.

In the eyes of most people, unfortunately, these sins must be punished. In their mind this is a fundamental requirement for absolution.

I am convinced that this view is held with a zealousness that rivals the most extreme form of religious fanaticism (Muslim extremism, for example) and those that hold it are prepared to sacrifice themselves, and innocents, in the name of this cause. (Just as Muslim extremists show no compunction in strapping a bomb on themselves or even their children, then walking onto a bus filled with innocents and blowing it up.)

In the movie "The Godfather II," there is a scene in which Michael Corleone is in Cuba and is about to make a signficant investment. Right before going ahead with the decision, however, he witnesses something that causes him to change his mind. On his way back to the hotel he watches as a group of rebels attack the government forces and in the skirmish some of the rebels blow themselves up, killing a few members of the government forces along with them.

Later on that evening, while everyone is celebrating their new "venture" in Cuba, Corleone expresses reservation. When asked why, he recounts the events he witnessed earlier that day and pointed out that those who are prepared to kill themselves along with innocents cannot be easily vanquished. He understood that the overthrow of the Cuban regime could not be far off. After all, he had just witnessed, first hand, the unwavering resolve of those who opposed it--willing to die freely for their cause.

The free market economic extremists in America today are of the same ilk. They are the economic equivalent of Cuba's revolutionaries or the Muslim extremists that routinely target civilians and innocents. The are driven by what can only be described as a fundamental fanaticism and their doctrine is the only true one. All others are corrupt, immoral and the preachings of the devil and the infidel.

That is why I think we cannot win this. I have become increasingly disheartened by what I see. It is useless to fight with logic, fact and reason, just as it is useless to tell fanatical Muslim extremists to sit down and "let's all just respect each other and get along."

Nothing good can come of this.

Lawmakers like Richard Shelby of Alabama, David Vitter of Louisiana, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker of Mississippi, who opposed giving aid to the U.S. automakers, represent states that sport some of the lowest economic rankings of all the states in the Union. They've enticed foreign automakers there with tax breaks and other lucrative incentives, yet the residents of their states are among the poorest in the nation. While their brand of capitalism may be good for Toyota, Honda, Hundai, BMW and Kia, it is nothing short of serfdom for the workers who labor for these companies.

Most egregious, however, is that these Senators, who preach so sanctimoniously about "looking out for taxpayer money," represent states whose per capita "take" from the Federal Government is among the highest in the nation. They are monumental hypocrites and liars, who want to do for America what they have done for their constituents: impoverish us all.