Mitch Daniels: Business is “One of the Noblest of Human Pursuits”

In the GOP’s response speech to President Obama’s State of the Union, Mitch Daniels said, “Contrary to the president's constant disparagement of people in business, it's one of the noblest of human pursuits.”

Though Daniels’ speech is a mixed bag, his identification of the nobility of business is spot on and is a refreshing contrast to Obama’s anti-business agenda. Businessmen are productive dynamos who trade value for value to earn their wealth. Steve Jobs, John Allison, Bill Gates, Jonathan Hoenig, and other businessmen deserve to be praised for pursuing their rational self-interest and for creating goods and services that further their lives and, consequently, the lives of those who trade with them.

Republican leaders desperately need to recognize and embrace the moral nature of business. And they need to work to protect the individual rights of businessmen and unshackle producers from regulations and discriminatory taxation.

Related:

• Capitalism and the Moral High Ground
• The Justice of Income Inequality Under Capitalism

Image: Wikimedia Commons

About Joshua Lipana

Joshua (John M.) Lipana was, until his death in 2013, an assistant editor of The Objective Standard Blog and a freelance writer based in the Philippines. His writings appeared in numerous print and online publications, including Free Enterprise,Capitalism Magazine, NewsReal Blog, and The American Thinker.

View all articles by Joshua Lipana →