Pendulum Swing

Democracies are subject to ruin and corruption and voters are often fooled by slick candidates. Populations will put up with a lot of abuse from their governments until it crosses the line. The pendulum swings from left to right and back again based on what voters think they are getting.

Benjamin Franklin said that in the US we have a “republic if we can keep it”. The founders knew that government should be limited and not get into giving “free stuff” to the voters to buy their votes. The success of the American Colonies was based on free enterprise, self-reliance and productivity. The plight of the masses could be overcome by earning more money and the family was the basic unit of the economy as it had always been. Colonists had the opportunity to own land and prosper and the risks and hardships seemed well worth the effort.

When the US was founded in 1789, it continued with the free market economy established by the colonies and began to expand

This formed the first phase of the development of the US. It included expansion to the Pacific Ocean and was accomplished by the 1850s. It offered unprecedented opportunities to citizens.

The second phase was settlement and that was accomplished by 1900. That period from 1850 to 1900 also brought new inventions and labor-saving devices within the grasp of ordinary citizens.

The third phase was prominence from 1900 to 1960. The US became the dominant economic power and government expanded beyond its intended purpose. The private sector was failing as government expanded.

The fourth phase from 1960 to present is the struggle between the private sector and socialism.

In 1980 the pendulum swung to the Right and Reagan gave the private sector a chance to restore itself.

In 1989 the pendulum swung back to the Left with over-regulation, excessive immigration and globalism.

In 2008 the pendulum swung farther to the Left with socialism, globalism, refugees, a poor economy and a $20 trillion debt.

In 2017 the pendulum swung back to the Right with the Trump election resulting in deregulation and private sector economic expansion. The fight is about rolling back socialism and ending excessive immigration.

The US resorted to federal funding of work and welfare programs during the Great Depression and continues to offer temporary economic support in response to disasters. But resources are limited.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader