…the rest I will deal with as I type
 Instead of these talking points pushed by left, right, and the vast 4 dimensional space rarely talked about between, I will offer two simple words:…

1. Symbiosis
2. Balance

  The major characters in this nonsensical talking point dance are business, the buying public (including stockholders… somewhat, though they’re not always buyers of any specific product other than of, well, stock) and government. Despite nonsense spewed by partisans who are way over the limit on their talking points imbibing (Instead of “DUI” “TPUI?”) we need all three. What the mix should be is always the question.
 As a children’s entertainer and educational service provider for almost 40 years I know from my clients just how bad over regulation can be. When a client spends thousands of dollars fighting off the fire regulator v. the health inspector because they are demanding the opposite things or they will close him down: that’s over regulation. But when the state of Florida drops regulations on religious centers to the point kids are left in vans mid summer heat to die, or allows a lady to run a small chain of centers with the porch falling down, one teacher per 30-40 students and holes in the roof: not right. Yes, there needs to be regulation. When supposed “free enterprise” is out selling fake Ebola cures that shouldn’t be allowed. Food safety is necessary, cases of food poisoning can be lessened. Attempting to prevent those who would simply pour any toxin into our air or water from doing so: necessary.
 Regulation will not “solve” anything, but enforced wisely, sanely and in a less than stupidly anal way, it certainly can help. How many folks these days are mowed down by machine guns, like during the prohibition times? That situation was one part caused by a lack of regulation, one part caused by a law that made no sense when it comes to human nature. Kind of like pot laws.
 Note: IMO the difference between “regulation” and “law” is marginal at best. Regardless of any distinction both are dependent on enforcement, and how enforced: far, far, far more important. But back to the market…
 Insisting that we should just “let the market the market care of it” is sometimes advocating mass murder.
 The market doesn’t always “take care of it.” Sometimes it encourages it: like when a WalMart stored leaking cases of toxins on its lot next to a body of water, dumping toxins to maximize profit and selling inferior goods while putting moms and pops out of business with unfair business practices.
 Profit motivates bad behavior as well as good and the “market” can encourage either, or both.
 Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the movie, is a fictional example of a possible totally unregulated business environment where competition includes killing competitors.
 We all need rules, guidelines: especially government.
 Yes, government does over regulate, over legislate. Yes, we need the innovators, those willing to take a chance. We don’t need to over regulate them, or hamper them with nonsense regulation. The definition of all the aforementioned is absolutely up to debate. But we also need those who buy, and those who earn enough to buy. Tired of people “living off the system? Encourage the implementation of a living wage and, yes, more government employment. Government can lessen unemployment: done sanely. Gov is no more the problem than the poor, the rich, big or small business, or regulation.
 For example the way the system is now tax breaks, lack of regulation, laws and pols actually encourage off shoring. Congress has refused to even vote on flipping that dynamic around several time so we might encourage bringing them back instead.
  This, more than anything, has caused a massive job dump in America: shipping it to places like China that use slave and prison labor. It’s all far beyond ethically bankrupt.
 The problem isn’t government, business or creators/makers v. takers. We all “make” and “take” to a certain extent. Indeed: if the system is working right that’s as it should be. The problem a lack of balance. When any one of these partners gets too much power, too much unfettered control, we no long have a symbiotic relationship.
 One with too much power becomes a parasite.
 A leach.
 A terminal illness inflicted upon society.
 Two with too much power: working together, can be worse. A good example of this is fascism.
 And, of course, when it comes to this country which is the parasite, which the victim? Well the right claims the victim to be business and the people, the left the people and government. I would say we’re so out of balance: all of them are both parasites and victims.
 Let’s start by eliminating the nonsense meme that government is always the problem, and move on from there.
  We spit out words like socialism and capitalism like these models are either perfect, or perfect evil. But they are merely models. All economic systems end up being a mix of models. They’re only evil when they get way out of balance, or purity is demanded. Economic fundamentalism out of control is as bad as religious fundamentalism out of control.
  What we really need less folks dropping a load of…. talking points and…
 …more symbiotic relationships.

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  Inspection is a column that has been written by Ken Carman for over 30 years. Inspection is dedicated to looking at odd angles, under all the rocks and into the unseen cracks and crevasses that constitute the issues and philosophical constructs of our day: places few think, or even dare, to venture.
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Ken Carman and Cartenual Productions
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