[RockyMtnMan]

How noble of you to willinging sacrifice the American Dream so you can attempt to prove an invalid point. It's perfectly acceptable behaviour to guide our economy to prosperity with incentives and reforms. Sitting by and watching the fireworks is ignorance at its finest.

Government CAN plan a positive role in stimulating growth. You are assuming it is doing the right thing by negotiating Free Trade agreements, why is it any better at the latter and incapable of the former?

[mulligan]

The only positive roll government can play is to get the heck out of the way. It is hard to believe that people still think government is the solution to anything.70 or 80 years of failures in almost every area does not indicate success is a part of government programs.

You still voting for government involvement? You are stuck on stupid.

[Mase]

You are assuming it is doing the right thing by negotiating Free Trade agreements, why is it any better at the latter and incapable of the former?

That would be the correct assumption. FTA's reduce the government's ability to intervene in the market (i.e. protectionism/cronyism). Freer trade results in more trade.

Government doesn't guide business, it meddles in business. Reducing government regulation and taxation on business can be called reforms and incentives but, what it really does, is reduce government control over the economy. There's a good reason why countries that have a higher degree of economic freedom also enjoy more political freedom and achieve a higher per capita income.