In a world of Big Business vs. Big Government, perhaps only the “slack” of J.R. “Bob” Dobbs is the answer

For me, whether you’re a “liberal” or a “conservative” boils down to this: Which do you trust more, Big Government, or Big Business?

Here’s the thing: In a capitalist system, the drive of business is profit, period. This is neither moral nor immoral (though it definitely is amoral, if I may get pedantic on your ass for a minute); it simply is.  That’s what capitalism is all about:  Making money.

Government, or at least the U.S. system, on the other hand, was specifically put in place to ensure an individual’s inalienable rights, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.  Our founding document states right up front that it wants to create a government to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”.  Note the lack of mention of money there.

So ask yourself this:  Who is going to have your best interests in mind?  An organization whose basic raison d’etre is profit?  Or one that’s trying to “promote the general Welfare”?

There’s no question that our government is messy, complicated, populated by a collection of fools, poltroons, crooks, shysters, and worse (in addition to some genuinely honest people trying to do their level best), and cranks out some pretty awful policy.  I wouldn’t argue with you on that.  But the fact is, at bottom, they’re there to do all those things promised in the Preamble.  Big business, by contrast, just wants to separate you from as much of your cash as possible.  Republicans like to complain that Democrats want to take your money via taxes.  Maybe some do, but only to Do Stuff, like fix roads, build bridges, maintain national parks, and build nuclear submarines and the like; they’re not after your money so that the government can turn a profit.  Big business is.  Big business wants your money, no ifs, ands, or buts.  That’s their whole point.

So given that, who do you trust more?  For me, the answer is obvious.

I admit to being reductionist–ignoring things like foreign policy, cultural issues, and the like.  I fully cop to that.  But the thing is, while “conservatives” in government–Republicans, generally–blatt on about cultural issues, when the rubber meets the road they vote with their pocketbooks.  In favor of big banks, big insurance companies, big oil companies, big manufacturing interests, what-have-you.  Take gun control; are the Republicans in congress really that concerned about the Second Amendment?  Or are they more concerned with the big gun makers who contribute to their campaigns?  I think the answer’s pretty clear.

Yes, there are some cultural issues that politicians actually seem to care about–abortion is a perfect example.  And that stuff is important.  But the driving force behind Republicanism is Big Business; behind Democrats is Big Government.  So who do you trust?

Now, the Republicans in politics are hoping you won’t boil it down like that.  Because if you do, you’ll chuck them out and they’ll have to find a real job, and they would really hate that.  They try to distract you.  But ask yourself who you trust more, Big Business, or Big Government, and then vote accordingly, eyes wide open.  Because otherwise, you’re just lying to yourself.

That’s what I think, anyway.  How about you?