It would seem that this year’s ballot will contain more initiatives than any in recent memory. All have one thing in common: circumventing the market system.

Under the free market system, individuals are voluntarily free to purchase a product or to spend their hard-earned money on alternative products. Under the political system, individuals who would rather purchase products of their own preference are forced by law to pay for products passed via legislative actions or ballot initiatives.

Special interests and individuals who will be net winners under the political system have long ago learned that all they have to do is convince 51 percent of the voting population to vote for their “pet” project. They also know that a much smaller portion of the population will vote than those who will pay for these projects.

Thus it is much easier to convince a voting population or to lobby their elected officials to pass legislation forcing the consumer to purchase their product. Whereas those merchants operating under the market system have to convince the consumer to voluntarily purchase their product.

It is unfortunate that our political and societal system has deteriorated to this level. Those who tout the democratic system forget that the ultimate democratic system is the free market, where each individual votes with his or her own pocket book.

Jim Mahlberg

Mancos