Business hands out, too

I recently attended a Spokane town hall meeting and heard a known Republican parrot one of their common talking points: “government doesn’t produce anything and hurts the private sector.”

However, so much private-sector wealth is facilitated by the government that it’s a moot point.

Retail locations are only as successful as their proximity to public roads. Farmers use satellite weather data, water from dams and move their crops on canals and infrastructure built by and maintained by our government.

Ranchers, as well as lumber and oil companies, are permitted to use public lands to make their money. American banks owe their very existence to the FDIC because historically people lost their savings accounts and could still today without it. Former Washington Mutual customers should understand this.

Companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple and others would not exist without past government investments in technology as well as the development of the Internet.

Even manufacturers who profit by saving labor costs moving to China rely on our government to conduct business overseas. “Social programs” like food stamps, SNAP and unemployment benefit local businesses like grocers, contractors and landlords.

So, private companies do it all on their own while the government benefits. Really?

Clyde Cordero

Spokane Valley