Amity ShlaesCompte certifié

29. We then segued from government-run welfare into a discussion of the effects of government on America society and the economy in general, with the leftie of course arguing that government intervention has been a “net positive” in the US over the decades.

30. Here is my response: We used to have lightly regulated free enterprise; now we have the government picking winners and losers on the basis of campaign contributions.

31. While both political parties have been guilty of corporate welfare practices, the Obama years resulted in a cornucopia of examples: green energy vs. oil/gas/coal, union workers versus bond-holders, light bulbs, tobacco, healthcare and associated insurance, ….

31A. … net neutrality, federal housing loan requirements (back to the future), etc., etc.

33. That didn’t convince him, and he proceeded to argue further that government programs have been a boon to Americans over the years. I then bombarded him with a host of historical and analytical references that disprove that claim.

34. Here they are – and they make for some excellent educational reading and references for future debates with lefties, too!