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PRAY GUTSY ENTREPRENEURS WIN FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY: IF NOT, WE'RE HEADING TO ONE BIG BANK, ONE BIG GOVERNMENT, ONE BIG ENERGY COMPANY, ONE BIG BUCK, AND THE DEATH OF FREE MARKET CAPITALISM. By LINDA LEATHERDALE: March 31, 2009 — The only faith I have left in free markets and survival of democracy is with brave, private enterprise players, who don't cave to greed and corruption in the get-rich-quick casino of capital markets on Wall Street and Bay Street, and who still believe in the American dream. That rights and freedom and the ability to competitively compete to build and share wealth will free us all. The people I'm talking about are gutsy entrepreneurs, like the Davis family from Minnesota, who took rich family wealth from an agricultural boom and invested in the manufacturing/technological revolution, to help give birth to Cambria, a company that takes a prized Canadian commodity of quartz and converts it into rock-solid counter tops and flooring. Now this family enterprise, led by Marty Davis, dares to spread their dream across North America, including Canada, with big-time investments during the worst of times. A global recession, or should I say Depression. And they don't want a dime from government to make their dream come true, just a fair shake on Main Street. In this mid-West state, with its desire to keep the dream alive, one bank CEO even said "no" to bailout money from Washington. It would rather survive on its own, than be nationalized into the new Socialist Republic of the United States, where big-time capitalist players are now turning into government-run institutions. Only a few short years ago, the air would go blue with corporate leaders screaming at governments to stay out of their "boardrooms of business." Now, it's a slap on the face if government refuses to come in, with both GM and Chrysler yesterday being denied more "bailout money" by President Barack Obama until they come up with a better plan to restructure their failing empires. "We cannot, we must not, and we will not let our auto industry simply vanish. This industry is like no other," said President Obama yesterday as he denied further bailout money for a hard-hit sector of the economy. He went on: "It (the auto industry - is an emblem of the American spirit; a once and future symbol of America's success." But Obama warned, "The plan they have put forward is, in its current form, not strong enough" as he rejected further funding until a better plan it put on the table. Here in Canada, many taxpayers are asking just how much bailout money is enough. Access to information documents and election promises show that since 2003 alone, the Big Three - GM, Ford and Chrysler - have received or been promised $782 million from Canadian taxpayers. Now, they're seeking another $1 billion bailout, while research by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) shows firms receiving handouts in the form of repayable loans don't pay back the money or are only required to do so in 50 years. "A clear example of the Ontario government's misguided auto strategy is its decision to give millions of dollars to General Motors to build a gas-guzzling muscle car like the Camaro, at a time when most companies are moving to fuel efficent vehicles," said CTF Ontario director Kevin Gaudet, also acting federal director for the CTF. He went on, "Ontario taxpayers have provided more than half the money to the Big Three only to see jobs disappear as quickly as the handouts do." Stay tuned for more on this hot topic:
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