Mixing Business with
Politics: A Step toward Fiscal Responsibility
Zachary T. Vaughn
Some
say we cannot mix business with pleasure. But who’s to say that the United
States cannot mix business with politics? According to The Christian Science
Monitor, business experience is not
necessary to run for a seat in the U.S. Congress (Zimmerman). Moreover, The
Christian Science Monitor explains that the
most notable and well-recognized Presidents – like Roosevelt, Eisenhower,
Kennedy, and Reagan – did not have any prior business experience. On the flip
side, Mitt Romney is currently speaking out against such ideology. He agrees
that future Presidents should have prior business experience in hopes that they
understand that “the policies [being put] into place have to encourage small
business [and] make it easier for businesses to grow” (Ungar). Overall,
business then is not business now; however, many politicians refuse to
intertwine business experience with government policy.
Is it completely
erroneous to think of the United States as being a tremendously large business
in addition to being one of the world’s leading nations? Absolutely not: the
U.S. is a big business operating in an even bigger world economy. Therefore,
Romney was right in stating that future presidents should have prior business
experience. In 2012, business education and business experience are necessary
to run for a seat in the U.S. Congress. Business politicians – not career
politicians – will better understand the country’s finances and take fiscal
responsibility for the American taxpayers’ dollars.
With
a national debt of $16 trillion, the average American would expect the U.S.
government to be smart with its money; however, this does not seem to be the
case. According to Waste Book 2012, the
U.S. Senate exposed $18 billion in egregious government spending, “including
millions on Moroccan pottery classes and hundreds of thousands on a musical
about climate change” (Judicial Watch). Unlike politics, business involves risk
and reward. Career politicians continue to spend money frivolously, while
businessmen and women unfortunately do not have the “luxury” of throwing money
at a wall and hoping that it sticks. Moreover, politicians cannot reverse the
United States’ current financial crisis without a clear understanding of how to
turn $1 into $2. Mixing business with politics encourages future politicians to
eliminate egregious government spending as well as take fiscal responsibility
for American taxpayers’ dollars. Overall, business experience educates human
beings on the importance of fiscal responsibility, both in business and in
politics.
Works
Cited
"Senate Audit Exposes $18 Billion in Egregious
Govt. Spending." Judicial Watch.
Judicial
Watch, 16 Oct. 2012. Web.
28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2012/10/senate-audit-exposes-18-billion-in-egregious-govt-spending/>.
Ungar, Rick. "Romney Pitches Three Year Business
Requirement To Qualify For The
Presidency - Say Bye Bye
To Honest Abe." Forbes. Forbes
Magazine, 30 May 2012. Web. 28 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/05/30/romney-pitches-three-year-business-requirement-to-qualify-for-the-presidency-say-bye-bye-to-honest-abe/>.
Zimmerman, Jonathan. "Not
True, Mitt Romney: History Shows Business Experience
Doesn't Make a
Good President." The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 06 Sept. 2012. Web.
28 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2012/0906/Not-true-Mitt-Romney-History-shows-business-experience-doesn-t-make-a-good-president>.
