Last week I left you hanging with the now tarnished golden goose. Shortsighted wise guys got in the way, as they always do, shutting everything down.
To recap: after all these years, the goose was eliminated, the farm was shut down, the houses were boarded up, as the families have moved away, and all the goose-related jobs have moved elsewhere—probably to Mexico—all for want of shortsighted and ignorant economics.
This "golden goose" story has nothing to do with food, eating, or meat. It actually has everything to do with how we treat business and industry through sound economic strategies. I'm sure you got that, but I'm spelling it out for you, just in case.
There's actually a further application, but that will in another column.
I'm also sure you understand that business and industry, both big and small, drive the economy. They, in turn, draw from natural resources. The former is the steering wheel, the latter is the engine, if you will. By doing so, they create multi-layered success in every nook and cranny throughout the province.
Shortsighted, wise guys will often step in and attempt to kill the proverbial golden goose. The eggs themselves are the outcome, the benefit of a healthy laying goose—which is the primary focus here. This is a sad tale all across our land, where job-generating business are able to move into an area that's abundant in primary resources, turn them into secondary resources (maybe even tertiary resources) creating a win-win (-win) situation.
The spin-offs are enormous: greater tax base, direct and indirect employment, with workers bringing their families. The direct pin-off effect is housing, schooling, and shopping opportunities. The shopping needs then produce further businesses to service the growing population, and the cycle continues.
However, the powers-that-be, with all their silly restrictions and senseless restraints, step in and impede progress. The abuse of this individual rights notion, the alleged environmental issues, and even money natters, all factor in to why geese are being slaughtered everywhere these days.
And so the word gets out: this land or that community is not a good place to invest in geese. So all the potential investment gets held back or pulled out—that's shortsightedness of the highest order.
You see, on the one hand, if there are genuine issues with individuals rights, the environment, and money, they must be dealt with swiftly, logically, and reasonably. Sometimes they do pop up.
But on the other hand, my sincere loathing is that this limited understanding of the economical benefit to encouraging a free enterprise, open market system works is what really butchers the bird.
Shortsighted wise guys often get in the way With their limited economical savvy, they kill the very thing that is producing so many good things for the local and provincial economy.
Probably the best (or is it "worst"?) way to kill any economical golden goose is through taxation. Say what you like about Donald Trump: his recent adjustment on taxation is putting the American economy over the top. It's thriving like it hasn't in decades.
A second way to kill the goose is over-regulation. I know you know that; it's those in a position of power that don't seem to grasp it. Even those who manage to survive initially will eventually just pack up and fly the coop elsewhere.
Conversely, giving businesses more freedom and less restriction is one of the greatest decisions any government can do for its people, economically. Backing off is what a reasonable, rational government should do; stepping in is a shortsighted way to quash economic growth.
There is a further application of the golden goose, which we shall look at next week.
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