There is no such thing as the United States economy, if by that one means (as the Obama Administration apparently does) an economy that belongs to the United States.

The United States economy is a collection of single companies, investment vehicles, businesses, etc. existing within the boundaries of the United States. All these entities are either individuals (d/b/as, partnerships) or owned by individuals (limited liability companies, corporations). The United States government has no claim to any of it. The economy as such is simply a measure of the health and productivity of these commercial entities existing within the borders of the United States, nothing more.

Given that the United States economy is not actually the United States’ economy, what, then, is the role of the United States in relation to the business entities situated within its borders? It is simply (easily enough said) to enforce the rule of law, providing a stable environment for all participants, with know rules and consequences. This contribution of the United States has made it the foremost incubator of successful business in the world.

Americans used to understand the role of government and the role of business. Government creates and enforces a stable set of rules by which businesses can operate. Businesses choose their enterprise and pursue it aggressively within the rules, and investors choose which business to bet on.

The Obama Administration, abetted by Congress, has abandoned its role in providing a stable business climate (and in fact is actively creating confusion as to the rules of the game), leaving businesses uncertain as to how best proceed. This business uncertainty created by government intervention will likely prolong and exacerbate this financial crisis.

There’s still time for President Obama to correct course, but the point of no return is rapidly approaching.

'Puter

Always right, unless he isn’t, the infallible Ghettoputer F. X. Gormogons claims to be an in-law of the Volgi, although no one really believes this.

’Puter carefully follows economic and financial trends, legal affairs, and serves as the Gormogons’ financial and legal advisor. He successfully defended us against a lawsuit from a liquor distributor worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid deliveries of bootleg shandies.

The Geep has an IQ so high it is untestable and attempts to measure it have resulted in dangerously unstable results as well as injuries to researchers. Coincidentally, he publishes intelligence tests as a side gig.

His sarcasm is so highly developed it borders on the psychic, and he is often able to insult a person even before meeting them. ’Puter enjoys hunting small game with 000 slugs and punt guns, correcting homilies in real time at Mass, and undermining unions. ’Puter likes to wear a hockey mask and carry an axe into public campgrounds, where he bursts into people’s tents and screams. As you might expect, he has been shot several times but remains completely undeterred.

He assures us that his obsessive fawning over news stories involving women teachers sleeping with young students is not Freudian in any way, although he admits something similar once happened to him. Uniquely, ’Puter is unable to speak, read, or write Russian, but he is able to sing it fluently.

Geep joined the order in the mid-1980s. He arrived at the Castle door with dozens of steamer trunks and an inarticulate hissing creature of astonishingly low intelligence he calls “Sleestak.” Ghettoputer appears to make his wishes known to Sleestak, although no one is sure whether this is the result of complex sign language, expert body posture reading, or simply beating Sleestak with a rubber mallet.

‘Puter suggests the Czar suck it.