Former Congressman Dr. Ron Paul recently raised concerns about a policy that has received less attention than I would expect. It’s the federal government's occasional practice of taking ownership stakes in private companies. Whether one agrees with Dr. Paul’s libertarian philosophy or not, his warning deserves thoughtful consideration—not because the policy is necessarily catastrophic today, but because history shows that government involvement in the private sector tends to expand once the precedent is established.The Trump administration has argued that purchasing equity in companies involved in strategically important industries—such as semiconductors, batteries, and critical minerals—is necessary to ensure America can compete economically and maintain a secure domestic su
