A full-page free enterprise message back in the 1980's, sponsored by Stedman Corporation, featured the following cartoon, along with a warning of the dangers of government spending and debt to America's freedom and prosperity.
Back then, a few businessmen across the nation were sounding alarms, but neither the public nor the politicians heeded the warnings.
In Texas, there was Eddie Chiles, of The Western Company and owner of the Texas Rangers. An advocate for less federal government intrusion, Chiles was also known for his 1970's radio commentaries. His trade-mark was, "I'm Eddie Chiles, and I'm mad as hell." In Illinois, there was James R. Evans, businessman and author of "America's Choice: Twilight's Last Gleaming or Dawn's Early Light?,"
In North Carolina, there was W. David Stedman, also urging his fellow business leaders, employees and public against the growth of government spending and debt and pleading for a return to the ideas of the American Declaration and Constitution. The cartoon below contains the ideas of both, for, with permission, another famous Chiles remark was incorporated into the Stedman cartoon.
The Stedman ad series became a Bicentennial Year, 292-page book on America's founding principles ("Our Ageless Constitution"). Many essays from that book are available for download 