Commentary
Lack of Leadership
 

Excuse me? A $15 Billion bailout for the airlines? OK, some of that money is justifiable as lost revenue due them because the government was lax in enforcing airport security. But we shouldn’t pay them to fly almost empty planes or pay them for not flying and furloughing employees.

The airlines need passengers and the economy needs a stimulus to recovery, both immediately. Did anyone stop to think that $5 billion would subsidize 10,500,000 tickets at $450 each? And that every one of those passengers will spend additional money going to the airport, at their destination, and on the return trip.

If the airlines and travel agencies offer immediate ticket sales at the two week advanced purchase price up to 80% of airline capacity with the ticket cost 90% subsidized up to a limit of $450 per ticket, I will fly tomorrow!

This is a good example virtual wealth, that is, wealth that would be created if there were a mechanism to support its production. It works for the people from the bottom up, not by paying airline executives for not doing their jobs.

The events of September 11 demonstrate an enormous lack of intelligent government leadership in two areas: first, in gross negligence of government agencies in failing to identify terrorists and blocking their easy access and, secondly, in failing to respond positively to an obvious economic attack on America.

It’s the age-old problem with democracies, impotent leadership. Politicians only follow popular demands of the people so it is up to us to provide them with leadership.

Esther