By Eugene Scott, CNN
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin — an early supporter of Donald Trump who is under consideration to serve in his Cabinet — is criticizing the use of subsidies to keep an Indiana-based air conditioning company from sending jobs to Mexico, a move the President-elect has spotlighted as one of his first victories since being elected.
“When government steps in arbitrarily with individual subsidies, favoring one business over others, it sets inconsistent, unfair, illogical precedent,” she wrote Friday in a “Young Conservatives” column. “Meanwhile, the invisible hand that best orchestrates a free people’s free enterprise system gets amputated. Then, special interests creep in and manipulate markets.”
“Republicans oppose this, remember? Instead, we support competition on a level playing field, remember? Because we know special interest crony capitalism is one big fail,” Palin added.
Trump helped broker the deal with Carrier that gave them $7 million in financial incentives over the next decade to keep 1,000 jobs at an Indianapolis plant, though some jobs are still going to Mexico. Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who is governor of Indiana, toured the site Thursday.
But Palin said when the government chooses companies to favor, the American economy is “doomed.”
“Politicians picking and choosing recipients of corporate welfare is railed against by fiscal conservatives, for it’s a hallmark of corruption. And socialism,” the former Republican vice presidential candidate said. “A $20 trillion debt-ridden country can’t afford this sinfully stupid practice, so vigilantly guard against its continuance, or we’re doomed.”
Palin — who endorsed Trump early in the campaign — is reportedly being considered to be Trump’s secretary of veterans affairs or for interior secretary.
“However well meaning, burdensome federal government imposition is never the solution. Never. Not in our homes, not in our schools, not in churches, not in businesses,” she wrote.
“Gotta’ have faith the Trump team knows all this. And I’ll be the first to acknowledge concerns over a deal cut by leveraging taxpayer interests to make a manufacturer stay put are unfounded — once terms are made public.”
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