May 24, 1844
Samuel F.B. Morse telegraphs: What hath G-d wrought? from Washington to Baltimore Anne Ellsworth, the daughter of the commissioner of patents, had chosen the phrase for Morse. The test was a success, and on May 29th news of James K. Polks nomination flashed across the 40 miles to Washington.
Federal financing was the source of Morse's funding for his invention.
Economic history proves that interference by the federal government in the free market is an impediment to the smooth running of same.
Samuel Morse is but one example.
1. 'Businessmen' is another name for entrepreneurs. There are a couple of kind of such folks.
a. There are folks such as Steve Jobs, who took an idea, infused it with practical experience, lots of hard work, risk, and took the product to market. OK, many failed...but something is in them that drives them to try again....and, ultimately succeed. They are known as "market entrepreneurs," as they rely on private enterprise and the free market. They understand that success will be based on providing a service, or a product, or something new that customers want.
b. On the obverse, there are politicians who trace advancement of society to government efforts, as in the 'you didn't build that' view.
Those who share that view believe that federal spending jump-starts the economy and leads to prosperity; many Americans look to federal largess to start their enterprise. They lobby Congress for appropriations, and even write the laws that would benefit their endeavors. These are known as "political entrepreneurs."
2. President Jefferson was one of the first to agree to government investments: in 1806, he signed a bill to fund the National Road. The funding was thought to be consistent with the enumerated powers, as it was considered necessary for both national defense, and for mail delivery.
See Karl Raitz, "The National Road and American Culture."
a. But, once construction began, the pattern was exactly the same as one can see today in government projects: as long as taxpayer funds were provided, the road got longer and longer, with twists and turns....politicians with the clout made certain that the road went all through their districts, whether it made sense or not.
b. Brings to mind the transcontinental railroad, and Amtrak.
3. There is, in this tale, a validation of the conservative view of human nature. People will always rationalize their own wishes, often convincing even themselves that their decisions are altruistic. This understanding is why the Founders, classical liberals. or, as we would call them today, conservatives, demanded checks and balances. Even so, they probably realized that men would, ultimately, find a way around them.
And they did.
a. One of the 'detours' taken by the National Road was through vote-rich Washington County during an election year. Jefferson's Treasury Secretary, Albert Gallatin, wrote: "The county of Washington, wkityh which I am well acquainted, having represented it for six years in Congress, gives a uniform majority of about 2000 votes in our favor and that if this be thrown, by reason of this road, in a wrong scale, we will, infallibly, lose the state of Pennsylvania in the next election."
Phillip Jordan, "The National Road," p. 79.
4. Because the road was a government project, costs weren't kept down, it became one of the most expensive roads at the time. In comparison, the Lancaster Turnpike was privately funded, cost $7,500/ mile...the National Road, $13,000/mile.
"The Transportation Revolution, 1815-1860 (Economic History of the United States)," George Rogers Taylor, p. 30
5. And, because there was no private ownership, the construction was shoddy, it was never fully paved, had gaps, and always needed repair.
Jordan, Op.Cit., pgs. 95-102.
a. Like this:
"BOSTON, July 11 Huge slabs of concrete weighing at least 12 tons fell from the ceiling of one of the Big Dig tunnels in Boston.... the catastrophe follows a series of leaks and other problems that have resulted in investigations and raised questions about the safety and management of parts of the recently-completed $14.6 billion Big Dig, the central highway system through Boston.." http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/11/us/11cnd-boston.html?_r=0
Samuel F.B. Morse telegraphs: What hath G-d wrought? from Washington to Baltimore Anne Ellsworth, the daughter of the commissioner of patents, had chosen the phrase for Morse. The test was a success, and on May 29th news of James K. Polks nomination flashed across the 40 miles to Washington.
Federal financing was the source of Morse's funding for his invention.
Economic history proves that interference by the federal government in the free market is an impediment to the smooth running of same.
Samuel Morse is but one example.
1. 'Businessmen' is another name for entrepreneurs. There are a couple of kind of such folks.
a. There are folks such as Steve Jobs, who took an idea, infused it with practical experience, lots of hard work, risk, and took the product to market. OK, many failed...but something is in them that drives them to try again....and, ultimately succeed. They are known as "market entrepreneurs," as they rely on private enterprise and the free market. They understand that success will be based on providing a service, or a product, or something new that customers want.
b. On the obverse, there are politicians who trace advancement of society to government efforts, as in the 'you didn't build that' view.
Those who share that view believe that federal spending jump-starts the economy and leads to prosperity; many Americans look to federal largess to start their enterprise. They lobby Congress for appropriations, and even write the laws that would benefit their endeavors. These are known as "political entrepreneurs."
2. President Jefferson was one of the first to agree to government investments: in 1806, he signed a bill to fund the National Road. The funding was thought to be consistent with the enumerated powers, as it was considered necessary for both national defense, and for mail delivery.
See Karl Raitz, "The National Road and American Culture."
a. But, once construction began, the pattern was exactly the same as one can see today in government projects: as long as taxpayer funds were provided, the road got longer and longer, with twists and turns....politicians with the clout made certain that the road went all through their districts, whether it made sense or not.
b. Brings to mind the transcontinental railroad, and Amtrak.
3. There is, in this tale, a validation of the conservative view of human nature. People will always rationalize their own wishes, often convincing even themselves that their decisions are altruistic. This understanding is why the Founders, classical liberals. or, as we would call them today, conservatives, demanded checks and balances. Even so, they probably realized that men would, ultimately, find a way around them.
And they did.
a. One of the 'detours' taken by the National Road was through vote-rich Washington County during an election year. Jefferson's Treasury Secretary, Albert Gallatin, wrote: "The county of Washington, wkityh which I am well acquainted, having represented it for six years in Congress, gives a uniform majority of about 2000 votes in our favor and that if this be thrown, by reason of this road, in a wrong scale, we will, infallibly, lose the state of Pennsylvania in the next election."
Phillip Jordan, "The National Road," p. 79.
4. Because the road was a government project, costs weren't kept down, it became one of the most expensive roads at the time. In comparison, the Lancaster Turnpike was privately funded, cost $7,500/ mile...the National Road, $13,000/mile.
"The Transportation Revolution, 1815-1860 (Economic History of the United States)," George Rogers Taylor, p. 30
5. And, because there was no private ownership, the construction was shoddy, it was never fully paved, had gaps, and always needed repair.
Jordan, Op.Cit., pgs. 95-102.
a. Like this:
"BOSTON, July 11 Huge slabs of concrete weighing at least 12 tons fell from the ceiling of one of the Big Dig tunnels in Boston.... the catastrophe follows a series of leaks and other problems that have resulted in investigations and raised questions about the safety and management of parts of the recently-completed $14.6 billion Big Dig, the central highway system through Boston.." http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/11/us/11cnd-boston.html?_r=0
