With current economic conditions, it seems the popular approach by our politicians and national leaders is to emphasize the struggles of the working class, blame someone from the opposing party, and offer harsh words for the "greedy pigs" on Wallstreet. The presidential candidates always conjure the anecdote of the middle-America family, sitting around the kitchen table making "tough" decisions on how they are going to recover from their economic woes. Maybe you will vote for one of them because they promise to somehow regulate so that you never have financial hardships again.

Stop, it's a trap.

Politicians want you to think our country is falling apart because they want you to believe they have the remedy. They will pounce on and criticize anyone who offers optimism: "throw up your hands, it's time to panic." This is not time to think rationally. This is no time to analyze how capitalism should work.

On the contrary, I think it's time to give America a crash course in Economics so they know what they should expect from their politicians and themselves.

1) How you feel about the economy is how the economy actually is. It's called consumer confidence and it is arguably the number one decider for the state of an economy. So why do our politicians coax the American people not to invest in the market with discouraging rhetoric? That is not leadership.

We use to have leaders that understood this principle and spoke with optimism. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in his first inaugural speech, boldly told us that "the only thing we have to fear. . .is fear itself. . . nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." This was during The Great Depression when fear and panic was much more warranted than today.

2) Wallstreet and Corporate America are the good guys. They give us jobs, they give us economic prosperity, and they give us power. Entrepreneurship and Capitalism is America's greatest achievement. Yet our politicians have turned them into villains. Quit biting the hand that feeds you and support those who do business ethically.

But let's not be naïve. We all know there is some corruption and excessive greed, that brings us to number 3.

3) Laissez-faire does not work. Government must closely scrutinize the practices of businesses to make sure a proper balance between what's best for the business and what's best for the greater good is achieved. Few businesses put the needs of society beyond their own needs. That doesn't make them evil, it makes them human. Luckily, business schools across the nation have pushed the concept of utilitarianism through business practices and the emerging generation will do a much better job at being socially responsible. But the day will never come that government regulation will not be needed.

4) Capitalism only works with perfect competition. There is too much power lying in the hands of few companies. Government must (a) support any business that tries to emerge as competition in a market and (b) create barriers for growth to businesses that have gained too much market share.

5) Socialism does not work. Whenever government takes control of a market, overall production and progress proceeds inefficiently. Without market equilibriums and competition to force innovation, we become stagnant. Losing a capitalistic society means losing our high standard of living and our overall economic prosperity. Besides, it conflicts with the basic pillars on which our country was founded.

6) The national economy comes before the international economy. Trade agreements should only occur if the net value is positive for the country as a whole. This seems like common sense, but government corruption has caused this principle to be ignored for the sake of personal gain.

And lastly and most importantly,

7) Trust the market.

The first 6 principles illustrate the basic role of government in our economy. If they are considered, the market will prevail.

- There would be no need for bailouts because an entire economic system would not depend on one business.
- There would be no unemployment because the calling of the American dream would coax enterprise to its highest level.
- There would be no corruption because government would not allow it, and where government fails the will of the people succeeds.
- There will be no barriers to entry, anyone is free, and in fact encouraged, to participate in the free market system assuming they have the acumen to succeed
- There would be no kitchen table discussion because our leaders would be optimistic and our economy would be strong

These are such simple concepts yet are often ignored by those in power. It seems political strategy has clouded the judgment of even the most educated among our leaders. Hopefully you can see through the haze and eventually elect politicians that understand what made our country so great. The state of our nation depends on it.