Great Article by Ben Stein

I was over at the American Spectator Website and saw this superb article by Ben Stein that I had to post here. Stein presents a view of the current president's actions that is (in his words)"worrisome", especially his demand that BP set up a $30 billion fund to compensate the victims of the current oil leak that is wrecking havoc in the Gulf of Mexico and associated coastlines.

To quote from the article:

"But the action of the President in demanding this immense transfer of the stockholders' wealth without any legislation or court decision is extremely worrisome.

We live in a Constitutional Republic. The President's job under the Constitution is to enforce the laws made by the elected Congress. His job is not to create new laws and enforce them all by himself. His job is as magistrate under the Constitution, not as Caudillo. He is not the law. He is supposed to enforce what Congress decides.

The BP behavior is reminiscent of how, immediately after assuming office, Mr. Obama, with no Congressional authority or administrative allowance, simply made a phone call to fire the head of GM. When I called the White House press office to ask under what law or regulation Mr. Obama was acting, I was told he did not need a law. If the government put a lot of money into GM, it could call the shots at GM, I was told. But under what authority, I asked. "None needed," was the final answer."

In case you are wondering, "Caudillo" is a Spanish word for a political-military leader/dictator.

I have heard too many times folks in my day to day life call for the Government to do something "just because" (BP should pay up since they caused it) but we must remember that Government is not the solution and should not be viewed as some omniscient provider of good or social and economic justice. Too many of my fellow citizens now look to the Government to right the wrongs in their lives while the Government has no authority to do so...unless it is authority that they give up which is in essence giving up their freedom.

Kudos to Ben for a great article. Link below.

The American Spectator : Our Caudillo President