Dear Editor
I find a troubling trend that appears to be picking up momentum; it’s the constant reference to “big business and corporations” as the primary problem where free enterprise still exists.
As I see it, the people running our political world come from the same gene pool as the executives running the perceived “big bad corporations and businesses.” Politicians do, for the most part, what they were elected to do. Corporate executives and board members do what they were elected to do.
One of the main duties our politicians are expected to do is to keep the playing field fair for all parties concerned, taxpayer or not. Corporate executives and board members produce a product and/or service for which the big business or corporation they run gets paid and hopefully produce enough profit to stay afloat so that they are there when we need their product or services. If in fact big business and corporations are taking advantage of the proletariat, might not our elected members be failing in their job duties?
Now let’s get back to the gene pool. Since we come from the same bucket of human characteristics, be they empathy, love, generosity, kindness, ambition or the not-so-gracious characteristics of greed, deceit, manipulativeness or vanity, they would be about equal in government or big business and corporations
In a democracy we have one government, albeit at a number of different levels (federal, provincial, municipal). In a democracy we have perhaps a thousand or tens of thousands of big companies and corporations providing the necessary services; some I might say not so necessary, but nevertheless, it’s always a huge number because of the services necessary.
Now remember the gene pool from which both sides originated and consider the not so nice characteristics: greed, deceit, manipulativeness or vanity. In a democratic system there is an equal amount on both sides of the equation of government and service providers. Let’s imagine all the service providers were eliminated and the services were provided by the, guess who, “big bad government.” Where do you feel the greed, deceit, manipulativeness, or vanity moves to?
If you are having trouble following this dissertation, think of the current and past history of Venezuela and other not so fortunate locations like Cuba, China, Poland, Ukraine, etc. As for this writer, I expect my government to do its duty and stand up to the “big businesses and/or big bad corporations” for it’s the superior way if everyone is rowing in unison. If democracy is failing it is because someone is not pulling their weight by not paddling in unison.
Harry Zamonsky
North Battleford
