Discriminate Against Equality

Boeing wants to move manufacturing from Washington state to South Carolina because, among other things, South Carolina does not require employees to be part of a union. The Federal government is suing them so they cannot move because Boeing was audacious enough to publicly identify that repeated labor strikes have been damaging and are chasing them out of the state.

I guess the rule was sort of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” in as much as saying nothing would have been okay.  When Boeing identified strikes as a reason to move out of state, the Federal government slammed them because they’re responding against striking, which is legal.  By analogy, consider that there are many legal things you can do that would still make me not want to live next to you.  Maybe I don’t like the clothes you wear–the reason doesn’t matter.  What matters is that I could move.  You can’t make me stay.  Each state of the union can control who comes in, but I’ve never heard of someone controlling who moves out. Now the Federal government wants to step in and distribute companies among the various states, saying who can have a business of what type where, to make sure everything is “fair” enough.  This is an inappropriate step toward nationalized industry.

I am reminded that I don’t like equality when equality means sameness. I’m a state’s-rights kind of guy. Federalizing everything is getting out of hand.

• So what if one state is unionized and the other isn’t? I like variety, color, and texture in our nation. I think it’s wonderful that people have a variety of situations to live in. People have freedom to go live wherever they want in the nation, and so should corporations. If every state is the same, that is boring.  Why are you afraid of differences? Are you afraid that if there are differences, people will vote with their feet?
• ObamaCare. Goodness. What a reckless attempt make businesses treat everybody the same. What’s wrong with different states having different choices for people? So what if it costs more for health care in New York than Tennessee.  Everything else costs more there, too!  Will you also Federalize the sale and distribution of bagels and bread? There is a reason is costs more to live in New York or Southern California – people want to live there.  It’s okay to enjoy the pleasure; it’s okay to pay more for it.  Give people some freedom to choose! Let them vote with their feet, and move to the life they want. Are you afraid to see what people really choose?
• Closing town halls all over the nation (Wall Street Journal cover article 6/8/2011) to save money? Sorry, the “one size fits all” efficiency of some power brokers just doesn’t apply. I don’t want state-funded snow plows.  As more and more power distills into fewer government units that have wider scope of responsibility, it becomes impossible for the little person to be heard.