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Labels applied too freely

The Spokesman-Review

With statements such as “Presidents aren’t supposed to be deciding who runs our major corporations” and “Obama threatened the car companies with bankruptcy,” Mr. Thomas McClanahan’s column (April 9) mischaracterizes the actions and positions of the administration.

Major corporations aren’t supposed to require billions of taxpayer aid in our supposedly self-correcting, free-market capitalist system, either, but here they are with their hands out. Any companies unable or unwilling to accept some conditions don’t have to accept the aid.

“These are matters that should be decided by a bankruptcy court,” declares McClanahan. Fine – if the company involved declares bankruptcy. But he neglects to mention that the “trigger” the administration has its finger on is additional billions that Chrysler, for example, wants from taxpayers to avoid it.

Personally, I’m ambivalent about corporate bailouts, but before tossing about terms like “socialism” and giving the appearance that government is meddling willy-nilly in corporate affairs, let’s remember the context: We, the people, through our elected officials, have something to say about how our money is spent.

Anyway, current circumstances are, at least, a change from major corporations deciding who’s supposed to be our president.

Steven A. Wells

Spokane



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