Ok, first post back after a short hiatus. Going to keep this one somewhat short so forgive the lack of meticulous citation that usually graces my pages.
Wanted to take a second to reflect on what is going on this week in the Auto industry. Earlier this week Obama asked GM CEO Rick Wagoner to step down as a part of his new sweeping plan to breath life back into the auto industry. Wagoner accepted and resigned. I think this act alone is one of the most absurd breaches of government into private sector we have seen as of late. Never before in the history of America has a president asked a private corporation’s employee to quit. The government is setting a very dangerous precedent by making it ok for the government to step in and dictate affairs of private business whenever they see fit. Whatever happened to the market influencing business. If a business tanks, it is up to the board and stock holders to vote that CEO out of office and hire a new one. According to Politico,
“Wagoner has been CEO for 8 years and at GM for more than 30. It is not yet clear who would replace him, or what role the administration would play in that process.”
The government stepped in to make a statement out of this CEO and in the mean time destabilized the leadership of one of the most ailing car companies in America. I am no idealist and my naiveté is not so great that I do not believe extraordinary measures must, at times, be taken by the government, but this action has no endgame. If the overarching point was to clear out this cancerous CEO from the company, then insert a healthy competent leader at the helm…maybe my response would be different (I still do not see that happening though) However, there is nothing left in the wake of this debacle other then questions and possible insane executive power precedents.
To anybody that says Obama is not for larger government, I would say take a look around. If you truly believe this is the best route for the country, you are entitled to your opinion as wrong as it may be, but at least acknowledge what you purport to stand for. Welcome to the generation of government dictating what you can/cant do based on drummed up fervor of the masses. I’m ready for some chaos…you?
