I am more and more troubled by the expectations of society. A free-trade society is what made this country great. People immigrated to this country with an idea so revolutionary that it was even named, "the American Dream." This dream was to live in a society where hard work paid off, innovation flourished, and even the poorest could prosper by simply putting thier hearts and minds into action. This 'drive' is what made this country great. This 'drive' has unfortunately been slowly eroded by socialism. Once, an entrepreneur could pour his life into an idea and make a fortune. Today, the same entrepreneur is slowed by power-hungry politicians, taxed to pay for those who choose not to follow the dream, extorted by unions demanding increased wages, and demonized by the liberal media.
We have become a society of 'takers' instead of a society of inventors. We have become so dependent on the government that we nearly become a welfare state without even knowing it. The more that the government dishes out, the more that we think we deserve. Thomas Jefferson once said to remember that a government can never give you anything that it has not first taken away from someone else. He also said that any government big enough to give you everything you need is also big enough to take away everything that you have.
America has lost perspective. She has gotten so invloved in setting policy to protect the minority that she has paid no attention to the majority. One person can sue and cry about thier individual rights tot he point that we take away the common rights for everyone else in the process.
The constitution and bill of rights only guaranteed us the rights to: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. No where did it promise to run our schools, our retirement programs, our indigent programs, our healthcare system, etc, etc, etc. This is a problem that runs deep into our lives as Americans. We have become accustomed to being taxed, allowing the government to take care of our needs, having little thought as to whether or not this is the best system. The government gets the money and power, while the patriot gets taxed and loses freedoms. Because the taxes rise slowly and the freedoms are lost slowly, over generations, we just accept it.
Mark my words, this cycle has happened in nearly every major civilization and it has ended in the destruction of the society. I venture to say that we will someday be victims of the same arrogant ignorance. The resignation speech of Evan Byah should be ringing strongly in the ears of every American. I believe it to be speaking to the same end. A change has to come. As the partisanship chasm grows deeper and the parties get further apart, the patriots are torn from one extreme to the other. Nothing gets solved, nothing gets better, nothing changes.
A year ago, I made a prediction in my blog. I predicted that
1. Barrack Obama would not be able to live up to his promises, despite control of the house, the senate, and the executive branch. Even with a super-majority, nothing is changing.
2. There would be a clean sweep of the incumbants in the mid-term elections...and it seems that we are on-track for that. **as a side note, make no mistake that the resignation of democratic incumbants are calculated. Polls show that a super-majority of voters hate the incumbants more than the opposing parties....the only way some democratic seats will be kept is to put in a 'new,' non-incumbant democrat. It's brilliant strategy, if it works.
And most importantly,
3. That the Republican party will split into 2 factions. I still believe this. The Republicans don't know who they are anymore. At one time, they were the party of small-government, controlled spending, state's rights, and free-market enterprise. the Republican party has not been this since 1984. Despite it's assertion of being pro-small government, GW Bush increased the size of the Federal Government by 44%. Spending increases regardless of which party is in office. The 10th amendment has been all but destroyed. Special interest groups and lobbyist have put a choke-hold on free-market.
and so, a new era IS dawning. Republicans must decide who they are. Will the 2010 Republican party be one of freedom, controlled spending, and decreasing federal Government...or will it be a party of social oppression, continued spending, negativity, and greed? If the John McCain (moderate) Republicans win the primaries, there may be a period of healing within the party. But, mark my words, if the Sarah Palin (religious right) Republicans win, there will be an exodus to a new, third party. i had once thought that it would be the Libertarians, now I am watching the "Tea" party very closely. If the Republican party splits, the moderate branch WILL pull the 'fiscal conservative'/'social moderate' Independents back to a common party. Given the current unpoularity of the nation's direction, I even venture to say that it will pull some conservative democrats too. The unfortunate thing is that the two "Republican" factions will be too small to defeat the Democrats in a three-party system.
so, to answer my title question: how do you destroy a society? Easy. base all policy on outliers, only elect extremeists, and have the governement believe they are more important than the patriot it represents. I'd say we are well on our way.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Mr Obama, what DO you believe?
For 2 years prior to the last election we heard the frustration of the american people about the governmental machine. the 2008 election was, in my mind, a referendum about politics and government as a whole.
Americans were angry and frustrated. We had an unpopular war (or 2) that continued to drag on for years longer than we had hoped; we saw neighbors and friends losing jobs; we saw businesses closing; we saw retirement svings plans evaporate; we saw banks foreclosing on homes. then, we saw our tax dollars given to the banks to keep them afloat, while the banks continued to foreclose on dreams and hoard our hard-earned tax dollars. This was a final blow to the resolve and patience of the American people
There was an internal cry for something different than the "status quo." As the people watched the candidates, they were caught up in the idealism of a government 'newcomer' in touch with the American people and full of hope, ready for change, ready to fight corporate greed that was so destroying our country.
And so, history was made. We elected, by proxy, a referendum on change.
The question is, what did we actually get?
A year into this new administration, built on the principles of hope and change, what has actually changed?
Bush said a tax rebate would stimulate the economy and it failed to do so. The public hated him.
Obama believed Bush was an idiot but said that a tax rebate would stimulate the economy and it failed. The public loved him.
Bush said that bailing out the banks might be a necessary evil and that to do so would stimulate them to write loans and spur the economy...it failed. The public hated him.
Obama believed Bush was an idiot but bailed out the banks at record levels, but no stimulation occured. The public loved him.
Bush said the wars in Iraq and Afghanastan were necessary for stability in the middle east and protection of American lives and interests. The public hated him.
Obama said Bush was an idiot but believes that the war in Afghanastan is necessary for stability in the middle east and proctection of American lives and interests.... the public loved him...and the international community gave him the noble peace prize. (?)
Bush left. The people still hate him.
Obama passed the most expensive bill in US history to stimulate the economy and create jobs, promising a quick recovery. The economy has worsened, jobless rates continue to rise, but now we have another trillion dollars in national debt to repay. The public loved him.
Obama promised that he would fight the greedy wall street bankers and moguls. Then he bailed out the big 3 automakers with taxpayer money. The wall street bankers and moguls were saved once again. The public loved him.
yesterday, an announcement came stating that Bank CEO's Dimon and Blankfein (both of whome received bailout monies) received collective bonuses of $26,000,000. Blankfein, who also controls AIG, approved $100,000,000 in bonuses to its executives last month.
President Obama issued a statement in an interview, about the bonuses, "I know both these guys; they are savvy businessmen...[I] don't begrudge people success or wealth. It is part of the free-market system."
Mr Obama, what, exactly DO you believe? You criticized G.W. Bush, but follow his economic policies to the 'T.' You berate successful wall street executives, so that the American people see you as 'in touch.' Then, you bail them out with the SAME Americans' tax dollars. Then, you tell the SAME Americans that you approve of thier multi-million dollar bonuses for a job well done. I personally, wonder how many of our friends and neighbors houses had to be foreclosed upon to accumulate the $126M in bonuses (at 100K residual mortgage per house, that's well over 1200 Americans that lost their homes so that these guys (who got BAILED OUT of the finaincial crisis of their own doing with our tax dollars) could get millions of of dollars in bonuses.... Again, what DO you believe, Mr Obama? Did I just hear you say that you don't begrudge success, wealth, and the free-market-system? Because you campaigned AGAINST these ideas. You portrayed them as evil and greedy promising to "spread their wealth around" by taxing them and giving the money back in social programs. Again, what DO you believe?
the President justified his statement by pointing out that some pro sports players make many millions/year. umm...ok...quite frankly, that might be stupid too...but at least I have the CHOICE to spend my money on a pro-sports games and merchandise.
In defense of our President, he really did have no idea how deep the troubles ran or how hard it would be to fix them...but that's what happens when you elect a leader with no leadership experience.
We wanted a 'newcomer' full or hope, ready to: make changes, fight the insiders, devise ways to fix the economy, and take on corporate greed.
We got exactly what we voted for: someone who had hope that he could do all those things...but without any practical experience to know how to get it done.
On the plus side, Obama, Pelosi, and Reid have figured out a way to push the unpopular healthcare bill through the back door.... do any of these people really care what the American people think? I only ask because that is the platform that all of them ran on....
Americans were angry and frustrated. We had an unpopular war (or 2) that continued to drag on for years longer than we had hoped; we saw neighbors and friends losing jobs; we saw businesses closing; we saw retirement svings plans evaporate; we saw banks foreclosing on homes. then, we saw our tax dollars given to the banks to keep them afloat, while the banks continued to foreclose on dreams and hoard our hard-earned tax dollars. This was a final blow to the resolve and patience of the American people
There was an internal cry for something different than the "status quo." As the people watched the candidates, they were caught up in the idealism of a government 'newcomer' in touch with the American people and full of hope, ready for change, ready to fight corporate greed that was so destroying our country.
And so, history was made. We elected, by proxy, a referendum on change.
The question is, what did we actually get?
A year into this new administration, built on the principles of hope and change, what has actually changed?
Bush said a tax rebate would stimulate the economy and it failed to do so. The public hated him.
Obama believed Bush was an idiot but said that a tax rebate would stimulate the economy and it failed. The public loved him.
Bush said that bailing out the banks might be a necessary evil and that to do so would stimulate them to write loans and spur the economy...it failed. The public hated him.
Obama believed Bush was an idiot but bailed out the banks at record levels, but no stimulation occured. The public loved him.
Bush said the wars in Iraq and Afghanastan were necessary for stability in the middle east and protection of American lives and interests. The public hated him.
Obama said Bush was an idiot but believes that the war in Afghanastan is necessary for stability in the middle east and proctection of American lives and interests.... the public loved him...and the international community gave him the noble peace prize. (?)
Bush left. The people still hate him.
Obama passed the most expensive bill in US history to stimulate the economy and create jobs, promising a quick recovery. The economy has worsened, jobless rates continue to rise, but now we have another trillion dollars in national debt to repay. The public loved him.
Obama promised that he would fight the greedy wall street bankers and moguls. Then he bailed out the big 3 automakers with taxpayer money. The wall street bankers and moguls were saved once again. The public loved him.
yesterday, an announcement came stating that Bank CEO's Dimon and Blankfein (both of whome received bailout monies) received collective bonuses of $26,000,000. Blankfein, who also controls AIG, approved $100,000,000 in bonuses to its executives last month.
President Obama issued a statement in an interview, about the bonuses, "I know both these guys; they are savvy businessmen...[I] don't begrudge people success or wealth. It is part of the free-market system."
Mr Obama, what, exactly DO you believe? You criticized G.W. Bush, but follow his economic policies to the 'T.' You berate successful wall street executives, so that the American people see you as 'in touch.' Then, you bail them out with the SAME Americans' tax dollars. Then, you tell the SAME Americans that you approve of thier multi-million dollar bonuses for a job well done. I personally, wonder how many of our friends and neighbors houses had to be foreclosed upon to accumulate the $126M in bonuses (at 100K residual mortgage per house, that's well over 1200 Americans that lost their homes so that these guys (who got BAILED OUT of the finaincial crisis of their own doing with our tax dollars) could get millions of of dollars in bonuses.... Again, what DO you believe, Mr Obama? Did I just hear you say that you don't begrudge success, wealth, and the free-market-system? Because you campaigned AGAINST these ideas. You portrayed them as evil and greedy promising to "spread their wealth around" by taxing them and giving the money back in social programs. Again, what DO you believe?
the President justified his statement by pointing out that some pro sports players make many millions/year. umm...ok...quite frankly, that might be stupid too...but at least I have the CHOICE to spend my money on a pro-sports games and merchandise.
In defense of our President, he really did have no idea how deep the troubles ran or how hard it would be to fix them...but that's what happens when you elect a leader with no leadership experience.
We wanted a 'newcomer' full or hope, ready to: make changes, fight the insiders, devise ways to fix the economy, and take on corporate greed.
We got exactly what we voted for: someone who had hope that he could do all those things...but without any practical experience to know how to get it done.
On the plus side, Obama, Pelosi, and Reid have figured out a way to push the unpopular healthcare bill through the back door.... do any of these people really care what the American people think? I only ask because that is the platform that all of them ran on....
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
National Debt
As my boycott of Facebook commenses, it was time to create a blog instead of simply posting my rants in my FB Notes.
entry 1.
I was reading an article on yahoo news yesterday about politics (big surprise). Buried deep within the article was a statement that should have been a huge talking point. In 2009, the amount of interest paid on the national debt was just over $100,000,000,000. That's the interest. That's not an extra 100B that can be used for humanitarian efforts, healthcare reform, padding politicians pockets...err...strike that last one....
There are approximately 131M tax payer in the US. So, ultimately, each one of us paid an addition $765 in taxes last year, just to pay the interest on the debt. That doesn't sound too horrific, until you realize that the debt doubled last year without the interest yet. And this year's deficit ceiling is being raised another 1.9T. If the healthcare bill gets pushed through, it will double it yet again. so, in addition to having to pay back all of the money, in addition to having to foot the bill for all of the new programs, an additional $2295 per year is tacked on to each taxpayer JUST TO PAY THE INTEREST.
we have to stop this insanity. we can not "spend our way out of recession." We can not continue to build bigger and better (and more expensive) programs. The tax base is too small (and getting smaller as unemployment rises).
It is time for us, as Americans, to take a hard look at where our money is spent and make some tough decisions about cutbacks. As much as I would love to live in an utopian society, sometimes the cold, hard facts of finance have to dictate what we are capable of doing.
either taxes have to increase (and doing NOTHING will force them to increase by proxy), or spending has to decrease. No other choices. None.
entry 1.
I was reading an article on yahoo news yesterday about politics (big surprise). Buried deep within the article was a statement that should have been a huge talking point. In 2009, the amount of interest paid on the national debt was just over $100,000,000,000. That's the interest. That's not an extra 100B that can be used for humanitarian efforts, healthcare reform, padding politicians pockets...err...strike that last one....
There are approximately 131M tax payer in the US. So, ultimately, each one of us paid an addition $765 in taxes last year, just to pay the interest on the debt. That doesn't sound too horrific, until you realize that the debt doubled last year without the interest yet. And this year's deficit ceiling is being raised another 1.9T. If the healthcare bill gets pushed through, it will double it yet again. so, in addition to having to pay back all of the money, in addition to having to foot the bill for all of the new programs, an additional $2295 per year is tacked on to each taxpayer JUST TO PAY THE INTEREST.
we have to stop this insanity. we can not "spend our way out of recession." We can not continue to build bigger and better (and more expensive) programs. The tax base is too small (and getting smaller as unemployment rises).
It is time for us, as Americans, to take a hard look at where our money is spent and make some tough decisions about cutbacks. As much as I would love to live in an utopian society, sometimes the cold, hard facts of finance have to dictate what we are capable of doing.
either taxes have to increase (and doing NOTHING will force them to increase by proxy), or spending has to decrease. No other choices. None.
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