keep pushing those "talking points". since you seem to lack any original ones of your own. oh, and please throw in some of "ayn's". it is further proof of your inability to think for yourself. (and, yes, it's sad. i would have hoped for more originality, from you, and the rest of humanity. silly me. or are you really a "plant"? or just someone who studies them?)

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

^^^^ Self-referential.

Bad investments sure do happen. Investments are especially suited to individual investors who are free to choose whether or not to invest using whatever criteria they believe to be useful.

What do we call somebody who borrows heavily, using the good names of other people, in order to make large investments into properties or instruments?

Because Maryland is a one party State, and Baltimore is a one party city, I get to see the abuses of one party rule quite well. ( In this case the party is Democratic, but given the perversity of human nature, it could just as easily be the Republican ( as I hear of Texas), or the Whigs, or even the Tea Party.)
I can't count the number of times I have heard politicians say that the State or the City needs to "invest" tax dollars in ___________. What they never seem to realize is that if private capital won't invest their money in _______, it is likely, or even certain, that ______ is a bad investment. The people who specialize in growing money run away from something, and then the politicians can't wait to throw money at it. At least in areas of financial investments, the amateurs should pay more attention to what the professionals say and do.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

My personal involvement in coal refuse work ended in the 80's. I am shocked to see that we have regressed. The problem had been solved.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

I just looked at that link. Bad as it was, it was nothing compared to earlier incidents. Evidently, a sludge pile was put on top of an existing mine, and collapsed into the mine. It was nothing like the devastation of a 20 foot high wall of water and sludge that would crash down a valley, devouring all in its path.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

A banker or CEO.

Do they have a choice of banks and investment instruments? Answer: Yes.

Can you think of any other organization? Perhaps one that offers investors no choices, though it does offer a periodic opportunity to change the board of directors.

Question for you: are you not OK with ANY government investment? Or are you just against non-military investments?

Keep in mind that weaning off fossil fuels would do more to protect this country than a million more soldiers and drones.

I am opposed to all government INVESTMENT in the sense that I use the word in relation to my own wealth. For example, I do not "invest" in a lawn more or a car or a rifle. I invest in instruments on which I expect to make money.

Thus, I would never consider investing in the military. I would consider money spent on the military a direct analogue to my purchase of a rifle.

The same with all other expenditures of government. The government should NEVER be a money-making enterprise. It should NEVER invest.

They should "fund." If they happen to get a return from the funding, then it won't exactly make me cry. As far as "funding," not all ventures that are funded will be successful. Deal with it.

Is that "funding" of friends' enterprises a Constitutional function of government? If not, it should be halted, and those who try to use public funds for private enrichment need to be prosecuted.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

I'm not convinced that corruption was involved -- if it wasn't, it falls under the general welfare clause.

You can drive a fleet of large vehicles thru the current interpretation of " the general welfare".---same for regulating interstate commerce.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Your point? Fossil fuel use is an issue that needs to be addressed, and the longer we keep our heads in the sand, the worse it will be. Kudos to the government for trying to actually do something good for a change, even if it didn't work out.