Free Enterprise

By Robert Morris Hammond

Free Enterprise is a liberating and powerful idea for everyone.

However, sometimes you do not have a choice. That lack of choice usually means you must deal with a government entity and the public servants who work there. Perhaps you have had to deal with the DMV. How was the ambiance when you entered? Did it seem as if the people working there cared about you? Did you enjoy the experience? Are you looking forward to going back? Because there are almost no choices, you only get to deal with the DMV.

I do not believe the people who work at places like the DMV want to be uncaring. My experience has shown me that people who have lost their dreams, who are living pay check to pay check, and who believe they can not make a better life-style for themselves and their family than what they have right now become disillusioned. They feel as if their dreams are being sucked out of them. They are hurting and as such, it does not take much to find this out. There are solutions to this bleak situation and I'll share these ideas in Part II.

Another example is the Post Office. For a long time, it was your only choice to mail packages. Now, there are other choices such as UPS and FedEx which are private businesses. This is Free Enterprise. Here's the difference. The Post Office with its public employees never have to earn your business. All private companies must compete for your money. This brings competition to that particular type of business. Companies like UPS and FedEx must earn your business by enticing you with better, faster, friendly, and cost-effective service. When people participate in this, it is a free will transaction. A private company can not take your money at gun point but a government entity can.

Private companies are designed to create jobs. It is not the government's design or purpose to create jobs. When the government takes money from businesses so as to create jobs, there is zero incentive from the public servants to do this quickly, effectively, friendly, or cost-effectively. Private business must be or they go away. It is best to let businesses keep more of their money so they can expand their business, buy equipment, and hire more people. If a business owner gains a better life-style because of being successful, then I say "congratulations" to that business owner. You, too, can have a better life-style. You must earn it. It's not supposed to just be given to you. Besides, when you earn something, you truly appreciate it!

So, how do we help people to start dreaming again?

First, people need to become informed that they have real options through the Free Enterprise system so as to go after their dreams. Second, people need positive mentors who will assist them in attempting to achieve their dreams. Third, people need to be involved in a system of self-improvement that includes learning from those who have been successful. Finally, the whole family should be able to come together and assist in this dream building.

If things like gasoline prices are a topic in your house, you are probably financially hurting. This means you need to make a change. If you do not change, you will just be older but still doing what you are doing now and continuing to complain about gas prices. Can you imagine not worrying about gas prices? Free Enterprise allows anyone, whether you have been to jail or Yale, to compete on an equal footing as everyone else. If you do not have much money, look for ways to get into business for just a few hundred dollars. This will empower you to work for your dreams and to believe in something better.

You either have some sort of control over your life thus you are in the "A-game" of life or you are allowing others to run your life and you are settling for the "B-game" of life. You deserve better but you must decide to believe in yourself for something better. The "A-game" is for those who want some sort of control over their time, increase their money flow so as to be able to pursue their dreams, and are not dependent on government handouts like Social Security. The "B-game" is for those who have let others control their time, had to shrink down their dreams to fit inside their limited amount of cash flow, and will be either dead or dead-broke by age 65 and dependent on government handouts like Social Security. According to the federal government, about 95+% of people are in the "B-game" of life. Where do you want to be in life?

There are those who will say that there is too much wealth in this country and the wealthy manipulate our system. First, I have yet to see or read about a country that did not, to one degree or another, run on some sort of greed. The same people who lament about greed will tell you they are never greedy even if they have earned a few million dollars. Did Dr. Einstein develop his theories or did Henry Ford develop the assembly line after being ordered to do so from a bureaucrat? People are self-motivated to improve their own life-style. The average person is able to thrive and escape the grinding poverty, that is so much a way of life in all other countries, only through the Free Enterprise system. In every country that departs from Free Enterprise is where you find this poverty. Second, the king, commissar, sheik, or president rewards people usually on the political clout that person brings with them over virtue. These leaders are usually quite interested in political self-interest. Political self-interest is not more noble than economical self-interest. However, economical self-interest will trump political self-interest by the average person. Are you ready to start taking steps to improve your life-style by gaining control of your economical self-interest so you can help yourself and others?

I will finish with this. Dreams + First, write your dreams by name. Dreams do not take form until you write them. Second, write how much each dream will cost. Third, write a date of completion for each dream. Finally, share your dreams with a few people who will positively encourage you! I recommend that your dreams be big enough to help others or the dreams are just selfish gratification. After you have shared your dreams, you are ready to start accomplishing your dreams. Be open to receiving genuine feedback. It does sting to be pruned and sharpened, but only for a little while. When you clear away the garbage, that is when you grow and you really start to have fun. I want to assist you in reaching your dreams but I'll never work harder than you for your dreams. Ready? Then let's get to work!