Government limits how we make and spend money all the time. You can’t buy heroin from the grocery store, or sell it in a school playground. Food and drug guidelines (somewhat) control what we put in our bodies. You cannot offer a credit card with massive interest rates.

An extremely laissez-faire market has put us into this pickle. For that matter, stepping back from the fiscal mess and looking at the environment, Detroit “followed the money” with massive SUVs and trucks, and where did that get us? It accelerated damage to our planet and in the end, after a few boom years, left Americans out of work and American industry wounded and reeling.

Government has a responsibility to help people do the right thing — by themselves, by one another, and by the world. It is possible to have a healthy but responsible market. We’ve done it before. Yes, personal responsibility is huge. Government should enable it, not undermine it.

But of course, we’re talking here about the fundamental differences between Republicans and Democrats.

When I read business reports I wonder what “they” really want “us” to do: on the one hand, “consumer spending is down, oh, woe” and on the other, “Americans do not save enough, oh woe.” I will stick to the savings side, thankyouverymuch, wiht a healthy dose of giving (time, talents, treasure) to institutions and agencies. (Sayeth the other librarian married to a minister. )

Not sure the government should block people from being stupid financially… but at the same time, I get a kick out of people that look at my family, a single income family, and say “oh, we could never do that – everything costs too much.” And then I see their house, the groceries they buy, the cars they loan, the fun they have instead of saving, and their daycare fees, etc. It’s not that they can’t – it’s that they are choosing to use their money unwisely, and are “paying” the consequences for it.

But no – please, no government should be telling me I can’t spend my money however I want to!

DNW