The Charlotte Observer reports today that President Obama will be in Charlotte on Friday to visit a corporate leach called Celgard. According to the article “The company makes porous membranes for rechargeable lithium-ion
batteries used in notebook computers, digital cameras and other devices.” The paper suggests that the administration views Calgard as a green jobs success story. It notes that “Obama could point to Celgard as an example of a company that has prospered with federal help.” Apparently the company has been the beneficiary of a $49 million grant from the Feds. Now let’s see, Celgard is a success not because it is providing a sound product at a reasonable price, but because the government is using the coercive powers of the state to forcibly transfer hard earned money from citizens in exchange for the right not to go to jail for refusing to fork it over. It seems to me that this is nothing to brag about. Indeed, the pyramid industry could succeed under these same circumstances. Although I think the pyramids were built more honestly. At least the people whose efforts were going into that success story were clearly recognized by their masters as slaves, no one was pretending that they were free. Hey Mr. President, the real heroes are the companies that, in spite of all the damage that you are inflicting on the economy, are prospering without federal help.