I think a lot of problems started when congress and the SEC started allowing a lot of "mergers" to "compete" with big foreign state sponsered companies. Banks merged to form big national and international banks. Oil companies were allowed to merge and buy out smaller ones to compete with BP and Shell. This created Exxon-Mobil. I remember when in Alabama, we had Esso, Pure, Texaco, Amoco, Gulf, Cities Service, Standard, Union 76, Sinclair, etc. About 10-15 different oil companies. Now it is probably less than 5-6 in a 75,000 population area. Banks the same way. Had several locally owned banks, not only about 2 locally owned. The bigger they all got, the more they could control prices, interest rates, etc. Mom and pop stores went out of business because of Walmart, Lowe's and Home Depot type stores. I say we need to go back and break up the big banks and big corporations into smaller ones for more competition and there would be more millionares instead of a few billionares. Things would drop back to middle class. Even now there are only two major aircraft manufacturers, Lockheed and Boeing. We used to have Martin, Northrop, Grumman, North American, Consolidated, Hughes. Boeing has to compete against Airbus of France which is subsidised by the French government. I think it the same with the Dutch company Shell. Don't know about the Brittish company BP. Our companies are limited in their ability to compete overseas, yet we freely allow the foreign owned companies to locate here.
Now, there are natural monopolies like AT&T, or some utility companies, and they are regulated to keep their prices down, like power and natural gas. However, we shouldn't have allowed the oil companies to merge, nor allow the foreign owned companies to come in like BP and buy up Amoco and Texaco. Nor Exxon to buy up Esso and Mobil. Also, should Boeing have been allowed to by Consolidated, or Lockheed to buy Martin? Hasn't helped either to compete much against a government subsidised Airbus. Same thing happened with the auto companies. GM was a merger of Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Buick, and Catalac (sp?) and they created Pontiac. Ford was independent. Chrysler was also a merger of Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth. There were others like Hudson, Desoto, American Motors (Rambler), Willys (Jeep). Many others who went out of business. I think they got too big to change quickly like during the 70s' with the Arab Oil Embargo. Japan jumped in with small fuel efficient cars. Our companies were slow to change and it has now caught up.
If we look at how foreign governments subsidise their industries or what they do to increase their employment and movement into the industrialised world, we need to take note. Maybe we need some protectionism. We need manufacturing jobs to come back to America, put us back to work making things, providing health care for the workers, etc. How do we get there? Lower taxes? Tarriffs on foreign products? Business friendly environment? Non-union workers? Or a combination of all.
I think getting us energy independent is step one. Drill more, use natural gas in fleets, more small diesel engine vehicles. Streamline permitting for nuclear power plants, possibly use thorium reactors instead of uranium. (Radioactive waste breaks down faster, and can't be made into bombs). Kick start power transmission lines from windmills in plains states east and west.
Tarriffs on Chinese imports if they don't allow their money to float. If their money floated, the prices of their products would go up and ours would go down. Put a tarriff on to make the price go up to what it would cost if it was made here.
I am for protecting the environment, but streamline the process. Instead of mounds of paperwork, have stiff fines violations instead. Government shouldn't have libraries of how to keep an area protected from polution, but just tell the companies they are limited in minimum releases into the environment, let the industry figure out how to install, build, drill, mine or burn.
Simplify education in grade school, limit it it reading, writing, math, history, basic science, and civics (citizenship). Have more exercise, recess, or something to keep kids off Ridlin. Wear them out instead of making them sit still for long periods.
Change laws back to pre Carter days for child labor. 16-18 year old boys should be able to work a a garage, help with building homes, installing utilities, etc. In 1980 70% of teens under 19 worked part time or summer jobs. Today it is only 15%. Less drugs and crime.
Use national guard to round up and send home illegals. No welfare, school, or jobs for illegals period. Drains our governments dry. No American citizenship for kids born here by illegals.
Well, I could go on.
