Rebooting America

In his NYT op-ed column today, Thomas Friedman discusses the need for America to "reboot"and renew it's focus on core infrastructure improvement and utilization of 21st century technologies, education, and innovation. Mr. Friedman opines about the fabulous airport, trains, and wireless services in Hong Kong as compared to that which is available in New York. While I agree with Mr. Friedman's vision for a new America, the problem will be the manner in which the new government coming in next month will attempt to reboot the country.

Instead of capitalizing on the great innovative enterprise of its citizens by offering creative tax incentives and then getting out of the way, our government will no doubt take the polar opposite approach. Obamalamadingdong and the doowops in Congress will continue to spend vasts amounts of money creating new entitlements and propping up failed businesses and unions, none of which creates jobs or provides the necessary incentives for American ingenuity to thrive. Enabling the destructive behavior which has gotten us to this point is a surefire way to prolong the problem. Consumers have started the painful withdrawal from living above their means on credit they cannot afford. Most businesses have cut out any remaining fat in their budgets. Government at all levels needs to do the same, and quit reckless spending and rewarding failure. As painful as it may be, we've got to hit bottom before we can build again. Otherwise we'll be rebuilding on a pile of sand. Government doesn't need to reboot. It needs a boot in the ass.