Free Market?

Conservative folks often conflate the free market as a political movement and an economic system.

-United Technologies CEO Greg Hayes on Carrier Deal: I'm No Fool — 10 Percent of [our] Revenue Comes from Gov't-

Is the blackmailing and bribing of the Indiana Carrier company by the new administration, representative of the conservative movement.

a. The free market supposedly allows minimally regulated businesses to make decisions that will result in the best return on investment and, in turn, the nation will prosper.

b. How does an implied threat to withhold government contacts fit into the free market model?

c. If the $7 million tax saving package included in the deal is connected to property taxes, the local school district will have to educate the children of the saved workers while losing $3.5 million in tax revenue.

d. According to the latest information 700 jobs will be retained but will cost $10,000 per job in lost tax revenue.

Paul Hunter