It's not your economy, stupid!(US economy and political campaigns 2000) (Brief Article)

• Author: WIESNER, PAT

POLITICIANS TAKING CREDIT FOR A GOOD ECONOMY IS LIKE ROOSTERS TAKING CREDIT FOR THE SUNRISE.

The economy has never been better. And politicians are having the proverbial field day claiming they should be elected or re-elected because they and their party and their party's policies are responsible.

It's amusing.

The Dems say, "Are you better off than you were eight years ago?" Most of us have to say yes. Republicans, however, claim the current boom is a result of programs conceived and begun by Reagan, then carried on by Bush after him.

Both parties give the impression that now, after years of tax and spend, they truly believe, "See! The economy is at its best."

Remember, though, it's not their economy.

This is the same federal government that taxes us in Colorado, and then gives us back less to fund projects (92% of what we pay, I think). And the money comes back with all kinds of federal strings attached.

One thing we should remember this voting year is that it is impossible to take money in the form of taxes and repackage it into jobs. The only jobs that the government can create are government jobs! The more people working for the government, the more tax money they spend, the more taxes they need, the more people they need to administer it, etc. ad infinitum.

But real jobs are created by one phenomenon only: expanding business.

Business expansion is caused by new ideas, new money, new markets, creativity, more spendable money and other, real jobs. What stifles economies is more government regulation and less after-tax money

American companies doing business in foreign countries know this. They continuously run into too much government, too much regulation and too much corruption. That's why, according to ABC television's John Stossel, entrepreneurs from other countries are flocking to America.

Why is it that we in the U.S. seem to have better luck with business and the economy than others in other parts of the world? Why is it that people from every part of the globe will take all manner of risks to enter our country -- like piloting skimpy boats over great lengths of ocean or continuously assaulting our borders illegally?

What promise does this country hold that outweighs the lower economic status and probable racial discrimination...