To the editor:

There was a time in our nation’s history that people had the courage and the initiative to meet the vicissitudes of life head on.

Problems, regardless of their size or morphology, were attacked by creativity and passion that diverted a potential crisis into opportunity. Individualism and intestinal fortitude were applauded as outstanding virtues; we even named it the “American Spirit.”

From the westward expansion of our continent to the defeat of the Cold War, our spirit was indefatigable.

The global community marveled at our resilience as we tackled difficulties that most of the world had resigned in defeat. This was America.

Years earlier the nation that could fight two wars on two different fronts and returned home victorious has been reduced to groveling wimps in the face of, like many, recessions we have encountered in our collective past. Hand-out signs should be distributed from coast to coast, because evidently everyone wants one. Surely, we, as Americans, have not been reduced to something akin to a fledgling calf in a hail storm.

This country can compete with any nation on the planet. It was not solely capitalism and the abuses of it that created this crisis; it was government dictating social policy through lending institutions. Sub-prime mortgages are “sub” smart and good.

The ailing Big Three, at least GM’s CEO admitted, “Our cars were not very good.” Why? How can you compete when concessions to Big Labor are steeped with fatback? The Japanese car companies, who are not held to the same ridiculous pay and benefit schedules as the Big Three, are profitable. Why have the Japanese chosen to build cars in this country and the Big Three have been forced to manufacture south of the border? Labor costs. Look, let us allow the Free Enterprise system to work, albeit with guidelines that prohibit unfair labor prices and monopolistic tendencies.

As Bobby Dodd, former coach of Georgia Tech used to say, “If you’ve got the horses, turn them loose.” We’ve got the horses and government should  step aside as much as possible and let the ponies run.

Free trade agreements, lower corporate taxes and sound fiscal policy from the Federal Reserve are a must.

Government should have an active role in our recovery but an intelligent one.

Community colleges and senior colleges could help train disenfranchised and laid off workers for new careers.

If the government really wanted to help, Congress could design a GI Bill for displaced workers. Government could intervene in health care by a creating a Federal Medical Board, like the Federal Reserve, to monitor and set pricing guidelines for health care providers and insurers but keeping single pay health care at bay.

Infrastructure improvements would be best administered from local state houses and not the White House. Instead of the Federal government propping up failing businesses, issue block grants to the states for public work projects as determined by a thorough needs assessment. This will not eliminate all pork and corruption, but it should mitigate excesses.

Finally, as the economic darkness descends upon the energies of the global economy, we have the impetus to reform and transform our government and industry into a synergy that works. In the midst of this economic storm, we, the United States, have the human capital to succeed.

Cordially,

Dr. Andrew Brasher