Letter: Playing political favorites harms economy, taxpayers

Gov. Walker’s opponents continue to accuse him of crony capitalism, hoping to find proof of it before the next gubernatorial election. Average Americans will be better served if they dig in other political backyards.

Cronyism is favoritism shown to friends without regard for their qualifications. Practiced by unethical politicians, usually as payback for financial support and endorsement, it results in inexplicable political appointments, grant awards, permits, licenses, and relaxed regulations. It denies the same benefits to those who refuse to play the game of one-hand-washes-the-other.

President Obama has been engaged in “environmental cronyism” for three years. Eighty per cent of the “green” energy research or development companies that received government (taxpayer) loans are Obama campaign donors.

After being infused with more than $6 billion, 20 of those enterprises are failing or have filed bankruptcy.

Where is the liberal outrage? None exists because good intentions excuse bad behavior.

To criticize or question bad alternative energy “investments” is to criticize or question the “goodness” of alternative energy.

This explains why wind farms are granted waivers for killing hundreds of thousands of bats and migratory birds while traditional energy companies are fined to the max for far less.

Ethical relativism defines wind-turbine kills as unintentional collateral damage and defines power-line kills as intentional violation of environmental protection laws. Now, the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory reports that Obama’s $9 billion in stimulus funds to wind and solar energy firms created just 910 direct jobs.

That’s $9.8 million per job. What a wise use of taxpayer money. These are documented facts.

If President Obama is re-elected in November, the country will have another four years of unbridled cronyism at taxpayer expense with no one accountable for the damage.

It’s the Chicago way.

Tags: opinion, letters, politics