At a Rotary meeting on Monday we heard a speaker in the tourism industry call for a federal ministry of tourism, even trying to get money for tourism in the “so called” stimulus package.

What a terrible idea.

Mexico, the speaker noted, has such a federal department of tourism. They also have travel advisory warnings because of the drug violence in the border towns. We do not need a Federal Ministry of tourism because we already have the Grand Canyon and Disneyland. A weak dollar will often do wonders for tourism, but it is not a desirable policy.

Quincy Jones wants a Ministry of Culture, perhaps with Herbie Hancock as director. As cool as this sounds, it is an equally ridiculous idea. Equally absurd is the position of a car czar.

Just because the car industry is in the tank does not mean that the federal government should run it anymore than they should oversee (at taxpayer expense) tourism, culture, or any other industry.

The steel industry was once dominated by US Steel, LTV, Republic and Bethlehem. Today the largest American steel company is Nucor. Nucor is efficient, innovative, and non union. Its CEO for years, Ken Iverson, was an industry maverick and stood against the entrenched industry to reject political and trade protectionism, something his successor should remember.

We are one of the most common destinations for tourism without a federal department to support it. We have one of the most innovative and vibrant cultures, with movies and music desired by the rest of the world, without a Department or Ministry of Culture. Our steel industry has improved and become one of the most efficient in the world without government intrusion and the auto industry can do the same without Congressional input into auto design.

Change is painful, but it is the cornerstone of capitalism and progress. The administration’s support for failing institutions on Wall Street or Detroit, in seeking to avoid this pain, are only paying lip service to real change. Calls to Europeanize our industrial policy will drag out any recovery indefinitely. Federal support and intrusion into independent industry, especially weak participants, is not change we can believe in- it is the obstacle of change that we need.

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