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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2009 > July > 16 > Entry
Editorial: Turner weak on case to amend Constitution
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville: “With no apparent limit on the government’s ability to expand its ownership of business, the only solution is a constitutional amendment.”
Rep. Turner has submitted just such an amendment. Fifty words long, it would ban government ownership of any part of a private company, except through investments in pension funds.
He says he’s concerned that the country is “creeping toward socialism.” (In introducing the amendment to the House of Representatives, though, he didn’t use the S word.)
He is reacting to the government’s substantial ownership of General Motors and smaller stake in Chrysler.
That ownership is certainly troubling.
The Obama administration did not ask for ownership; rather, GM — under pressure to show it was taking a dramatically new course — offered it in return for forgiveness of $10 billion in debt.
Accepting the offer might have been a mistake. Widely criticized as GM’s leadership has been, nobody has seriously suggested that government ownership was the solution. (OK, almost nobody.)
As Rep. Turner notes, GM has private competitors. If Ford and GM both want a certain government contract, what happens? It’s a seriously awkward situation, one reason among others to see government ownership as a problem.
And yet, a constitutional amendment?
In saying that his amendment is the “only solution,” Rep. Turner is, in effect, saying that the forces that want to expand government ownership are powerful. But if they’re powerful, then a constitutional amendment is not the way to deal with them. It’s so easy to block.
Constitutional amendments simply do not pass if they are controversial. After all, they must be accepted by two-thirds of both houses of Congress and by 38 state legislatures (three-fourths of 50).
In every Congress, a hundred or two hundred amendments are proposed. But none has been ratified in 17 years. And that one said that Congress can’t vote itself a pay raise in mid-term; an election must intervene.
Rep. Turner says he is not out to prevent future bailouts of private corporations (though he’s opposed the current ones), just governmental ownership.
If people see the amendment as a move against bailouts, it’s dead. That’s not because anybody wants more bailouts. Their undesirability is one thing upon which left and right agree.
The left doesn’t want to be regularly helping corporate fat cats, and the right worries about helping undeserving unions, and about protecting its right to anti-government rhetoric.
But emergencies do happen.
Well, if bailouts are going to happen, how much does it actually matter if temporary ownership results?
At a congressional hearing, Rep. Turner asked Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke what he thought of the amendment. The chairman wanted to think about it. But he said that a bailout itself “essentially is a temporary ownership.” (A video is available at Rep. Turner’s Web site.)
He’s got a point. After all, when the White House forced out Rick Wagoner as CEO of GM, it didn’t yet have any ownership of the company. It was just a powerful creditor.
If the government’s majority ownership of GM causes some sort of calamity and/or doesn’t end reasonably soon, the case for a flat ban will improve.
To rush ahead now, though, is premature, an overreaction. The government is not interested in gobbling up struggling corporations. Any alarm about that is simply false.
What’s appropriate now is pressure on the Obama administration to make good on its promise to divest itself ASAP.
Permalink | Comments (31) | Post your comment | Categories: Editorials, Martin Gottlieb, Ohio politics
Comments
By Quentin
July 16, 2009 6:51 PM | Link to this
It misses a major problem which we have found in government/private corporation ownership which are Fanny Mae and Feeddie Mac who caused most of this mess anyways. They were quasi government and private companies who were protected for political ties reasons with no accountability to those in charge while destroying us all.
By Quentin
July 16, 2009 6:52 PM | Link to this
It misses a major problem which we have found in government/private corporation ownership which are Fanny Mae and Feeddie Mac who caused most of this mess anyways. They were quasi government and private companies who were protected for political ties reasons with no accountability to those in charge while destroying us all.
By Jim
July 16, 2009 7:59 PM | Link to this
This does have 103 co-sponsors to it. It doesn’t seem that weak to me.
By Jim
July 16, 2009 8:00 PM | Link to this
This does have 103 co-sponsors to it. It doesn’t seem that weak to me.
By Cam
July 16, 2009 8:16 PM | Link to this
With the Dayton region in such sour shape, doesn’t he have better things to do? As a member of Congrss, shouldn’t he be focusing his limited staffing resources on issues that would improve the quality of dayton’s economy?
By Sharon
July 16, 2009 8:29 PM | Link to this
what difference does it make that Obama “didn’t ask for it” - he accepted it and now the American taxpayers own it.
By Bill
July 16, 2009 9:11 PM | Link to this
we have a stake in them till they fail or pay us back…GOP’s will never pass a chance at claiming superior knowledge in finance and they have proven their abailities over the last 20 years in Ohio and the previous amazing administration…Turner is grand standing
By wrc
July 16, 2009 9:13 PM | Link to this
Turner only for this caused he knows it has no chance in passing.Just another thing to distract us from the fact that his record is nothing to bragged about,or otherwise his name would never show up in print.By the way you can get 103co-sponsors for almost anything, so I’m not amazed at that.
By Steve
July 16, 2009 9:15 PM | Link to this
Cam - the current state of the economy is exactly why the taxayers shouldn’t own sixty percent of a private company with no plan for getting out of this mess. Most people don’t want anything to do with the government owning GM.
By Cam
July 16, 2009 9:41 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the insight, Steve, but an amendment stopping the U.S. gov’t from owning shares in a company isn’t going to create jobs in the Dayton region NOW. I supported the Congressman in his previous elections, but this is a waste of his time. Perhaps this is something for after we climb our way out of this economic mess. In the mean time, I’d like to see something substantive from him.
By Aaron
July 16, 2009 9:51 PM | Link to this
You know, even though we now own a big chunk of GM, it could still go under, and all of the taxpayers (that’s us!) money would go down with it.
By Jackson
July 16, 2009 9:53 PM | Link to this
With all due respect, Steve, I think most is an exaggeration. I think if you asked the folks at DHL or ABX if the choice was lost their job, or deal with a gov’t takeover of their company, they’d vote for the gov’t take over. MOST people don’t care about gov’t takeover as much as they care about paying their mortgage and feeding their families.
By J
July 16, 2009 10:50 PM | Link to this
Turner likes to see his name in print Since his contacts, dermatologist makeover- he likes to see his face in any media. I long for the days of Tony Hall…someone who cared about people and actions showed it.
By Phil
July 16, 2009 10:52 PM | Link to this
This bill is about the economy. We are in a huge economic recession. We’ve bailed out companies to the tune of billions of dollars, we are running the biggest deficits we’ve ever seen, and now the government is getting into the automotive business? This has all been one big crap shoot - and the american people so far have nothing to show for it. Enough is enough. Anything we can do to put an end to it is worth a try.
By rm
July 17, 2009 12:25 AM | Link to this
J, you log for the days of Tony Hall. I worked with Tony around Dayton on many projects and Tony Hall only cared about Tony Hall. His Dad, cared way more, worked with him on projects. BUT to say Tony Hall cared about us. Pleaseeee. He spent more time out of the USA with starving 3rd world county’s then the starving families here in Dayton. Mike Turner is at lest trying to do something different. I for one am tired of all this CHANGE.. Hurting my pocket book.
By ironmyke
July 17, 2009 1:29 AM | Link to this
I don’t know what to make of this. Congressman Turner has appeared to me to be a rather serious, practical guy just taking care of his constituents. That is the right thing to do. This proposition is nothing like that.I hope Boehner isn’t trying to get another Jean Schmidt in the area.One is enough.
By Lydia
July 17, 2009 8:03 AM | Link to this
This isn’t about the economy. This is a political stunt.
By Fed-Up
July 17, 2009 8:10 AM | Link to this
For starters,this is old news. The paper ran a story on this last week and I love the idea. All those who gripe Turner’s not doing something are now naysaying his attempt to stop Obama’s overreaching. I want less gov in my pocket and taking dollars out of the economy. This may be a socialist crowd, but somebody’s got to stand up for the taxpayer. Thanks Turner for at least trying!
By Tina
July 17, 2009 8:21 AM | Link to this
Ironmyk, Cam & others who say Turner is not doing anything obviously don’t look at his website or know anything about him. He was a fine mayor and he’s a workhorse for WPAFB and trying to save jobs here. If you don’t like him then just say so. I’m proud he’s standing up for us.
By Jack
July 17, 2009 8:29 AM | Link to this
Since when is Gottlieb a constitutional scholar? I got to say this since it’s been irking me for years. How can the Dayton Daily News attack anybody for trying to save local jobs when its owner hightailed it out of Dayton? I guess they love the status quo - mayor madhatter and all.
By Cam
July 17, 2009 8:38 AM | Link to this
Tina - He was a great mayor, no doubt. Dayton was starting to thrive again and it’s unfortunate he was not re-elected. But it seems he left that innovative spark back in his mayoral tenure. THIS is the way he chooses to utilize his talent and the talent of his staff? Completely out of touch. On a side note, I’m certainly not going to use HIS website to gauge his accomplishments. It’s there to sell him.
By Tina
July 17, 2009 9:58 AM | Link to this
Cam,you’re falling a bit short. Turner is single handedly supporting about the biggest jobs engine Dayton still has - WPAFB. He’s been boosting the air show, bringing in a new trade show and out of dollars to the area. What is our present mayor doing to bring in jobs and dollars?
By Cam
July 17, 2009 10:09 AM | Link to this
And Tina, you are being a bit disingenuous. The only part of WPAFB in his district is the museum. I’ve also not disparaged the work he’s done for WPAFB. You should really read my posts before you respond. I’m responding to this ridiculous amendment and the utilization of his resources on something so, frankly, ridiculous. I’m also not in any way saying anything positive about the current mayor, but thanks for playing.
By tommyv
July 17, 2009 10:40 AM | Link to this
So I guess the DDN wants to be taken over by the government once it fails, and it will like most papers. I give it another two years or so and they will be crying for someone from government to bail them out and take ownership. Oh boy, I can’t wait to see the Kremlin in action here locally!
By Quentin
July 17, 2009 5:47 PM | Link to this
I notice all those FOR government taking over these companies are quiet about how the government owned most of Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac. Their CEOs walked away rich after destroying the economy and hiding their scams. Now they are free and clear with no complaints from our reps on either side. THAT is how things run when the government is involved.
By kurt
July 17, 2009 7:20 PM | Link to this
Doesnt anybody yet see, that its been all downhill since the democrats took over both houses of Congress in 2006, and now when the community organizer. katie bar the door.
By Just Thinking
July 18, 2009 2:41 AM | Link to this
All problems our nation is having started in Washington. Mike Turner is trying to control those traitors in Congress. We are on a slippery slope to being a liberal. third-world country. Everybody who voted for these liberals and wants the government to take care of you, needs to move to France or England. See if you like what you see.
By Just Thinking
July 18, 2009 2:49 AM | Link to this
The Dayton Daily News might as well be owned by the government. Is any local reporter telling the truth about what our elected officials are doing? NO! They are part of the “Main Street Media” which is the mouthpiece of the liberal agenda. MSM has has sold us out, too. Instead of calling it the Dayton Daily Birdcage liner, I now call it the Dayton Daily Pravda. You know, Dayton Daily who moved out of Dayton and to the South Suburbs.
By illegal detainment
July 18, 2009 2:59 AM | Link to this
Where in the constitution does the federal government have the power to collect taxes to buy the private manufacturers? Nowhere. Where in the socialist manual, the Communist Manifesto, is that power granted to the govenment? The seventh pillar:”Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state”. We are no longer on a slippery slope to socialism; We are jumping off the cliff and some of us are grabbing at the branches of liberty on the way down. Wake up collectivists! Bigger government can only make everyone equally misserable. Individual liberty is always the answer.
By karon
July 24, 2009 1:05 AM | Link to this
rich companys have the power in this country NOT the priesdent or government!
By hotel in der tuerkei
February 4, 2010 8:34 PM | Link to this
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