If the COVID insanity taught us anything, it’s that people will do whatever government tells them. Especially when it’s done using government force.

The sad result is government now knows it can get away with so much more — much of it without “force” per se. But never worry, that kind of force will be used when needed. This force isn’t gun barrels — although we do see examples — it’s in unconstitutional laws and mandates.

And no, this column isn’t about guns. It’s about all the ridiculousness government keeps floating to see what folks will accept and conform to without a fight. And then putting it into law.

How else can President Joe Biden come out and with a stroke of a pen tell folks with good credit who want a new mortgage they have to pay a portion of other folks’ mortgages who don’t have as good credit or less money for down payments. Oh yes. For those of you with good credit, the more you put down, the more of other mortgages you’ll have to pay. Now we’re all having a stroke with the stroke of our pens. It’s just ours aren’t on executive orders, they’re on our actual mortgage documents. One contract, ironically, the government will actually keep in place.

Yet to some, this confiscation will make perfect sense because it’s in the name of helping others. So for those few votes, the force of government is now upon folks who’ve scrimped and saved to get their share of the American Dream — all at the cost of a pound of flesh from the folks in charge. Sure, a couple of Republicans will raise their voices for a few days or weeks. But those cries always fade because only God knows what’s around the corner for the next unconstitutional bull pucky to be forced upon people. After all, it’s only $40 a month. When you put it that way on a $1,500 mortgage, it’s not much. But if you do the math over 30 years, it’s $14,400. 

How else can the state of Colorado pass the FAMLI act? Yes, I know they put it in front of the voters and it was approved. Heck, their current marketing even flaunts it in our faces saying how we wanted to pay people for not working. Of course workers would vote yes to a tax their employers so they could get more paid time off. We’ve voted for those kinds of tax increases all the time. After all, business don’t pay taxes. Except, of course, for all the taxes we do pay and, worse, are forced to collect for the government. Mafia bosses blush when they learn about the shakedown rackets on businesses the government has put into law.

But do those workers understand FAMLI taxes will result in lower wages for those who work for small businesses? There’s only so many pennies you can keep taking before those pennies become dollars and then those dollars become tens and twenties. That’s before addressing how and where government has the power to make a business pay for employees who don’t come to work. Then again, it’s been slowly moving this way for years. What’s the adage? Those who demand that Peter pay Paul can always count on Paul’s vote. 

Even more, the FAMLI act is a gift to big business. How? Simple. A big business can raise prices a penny and distribute it across hundreds of outlets, consumers and products and cover its costs. A small business has to take it right off the bottom line. Might cost a raise or a new hire. Worse, all these “it’s only a few bucks” taxes and fees can cost owners their business. But so what? The big boys who control the market now have more control and can make up the slack, giving them more money and profit to donate to politicians who can come up with the next ditty to crush the forgotten man. With Jared Polis in office and Democrats in charge in Colorado, it’s already being added to next year’s session beyond the nearly 1,000 new laws we so desperately need.

Locally, our schools are in the news for some of the same reasons I’ve already listed. But with one added bit of irony. While the above examples are just fine to do for those elected. When it comes to our school board, our newly elected folks shouldn’t be doing anything. Especially when it comes to getting the budget under control. Declining enrollment, making tough decisions and closing schools are things occurring across the country because of decisions made regarding COVID. School districts need serious people willing to face facts.

Yet with District 51, we have entire groups dedicated to ignoring the very problems we face. Some of them for many years. But the minute our board begins to address them, the weeping and gnashing begins. Funny, everything the previous boards wanted to do was just fine with the same folks.

Honestly, we know the reason. Two of my examples follow the progressive agenda and the last one doesn’t. Ironically, those two examples will use government force to be implemented.

A law requiring force is almost always bad law. But schools don’t teach that in government history.

Craig Hall is owner and publisher of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com.