Mitt Romney has been telling crowds that this election is a battle for the soul of America.
He could not be more right.
This is the year America flirts with a near-death experience, its spirit hovering over the body politic during efforts to resuscitate it.
There are two very different visions of America we will choose between in November.
The president argues that those who have done well are selfish and greedy for wanting to keep what they earn – but that the government is being fair and just in taking it from them in unspecified amounts and spending it as the government decides.
That is as twisted a view of America as you will find on the streets, much less in the Oval Office.
Barack Obama believes government is the answer to all our problems. And he appears at once surprised and oblivious to the fact that it isn’t. Example: He refuses to abandon the notion that his administration can birth and raise the alternative energy economy. He has lost hundreds of millions of our dollars in the attempt – while padding the pockets of friends political cronies. Think Solyndra, though there are other examples.
This is a gross, fundamental misunderstanding of – or unbridled contempt for – the American system of self-governance, the template of individual liberty and minimal government that made this the freest, most prosperous nation in history.
“President Obama’s view of capitalism is to send your money to his friends’ companies,” Romney said Tuesday night in Florida.
Mr. Obama also seems to think America’s leadership in the world was problematic, something to apologize for and retreat from. He has no problem celebrating the latest champions in the sporting world for being No. 1 when they visit the White House, but he appears not to harbor the same ambitions for America. He appears oddly contented with America losing ground.
Example: He has gone out of his way to block the joining of our Gulf to Canadian oil through a pipeline, knowing full well the Chinese would be glad to appropriate it instead. And while tying up domestic energy production, he encouraged Brazil to drill to its heart’s content – and promised we’d be its best customer.
Again, as with his taxing and spending policies, the president appears to encourage dependence rather than self-reliance.
Indeed, it is liberty, the free market and self-reliance that define the soul of America – as well as compassion.
But here again, Mr. Obama profoundly misreads the American soul. Public safety nets are needed and welcomed by all. But compassion is not an executive order or a government edict. It is something Americans ply willingly, generously, more audaciously than any other people on Earth. They should be allowed to do so in their own ways, without the overbearing hand of government to guide their own hearts and minds.
Candidate Obama vaguely promised hope and change and fundamental transformation of America. To this day, no one has ever seen his blueprint.
Well, the rest of us have one. It’s called the Constitution. And it’s a kind of map to the American soul: When used as directed, it allows each of us to become what we are capable of being.
It’s an American birthright. And we want it back.
Haki,what is the difference between barack hussein and saddam hussein?
Techfan,why is it ok for chavez to drill for oil where U.S. companies can't get permits? And then sell the oil to the U.S.? Why has hussein guarenteed to be "chavez's best customer"?
scrapping the whole lot of them and going with Roseanne and the Green Party.
David Parker,so,you agree that anyone not surrendering their money for redistribution should be beheaded?
Mr. Parker,have you turned over your assets for redistribution or is that meant ONLY for the rest of us?
Wow. It is indeed a fight for America's soul. At one Tea Party-dominated Republican debate, the crowd cheered when Ron Paul was asked whether the ill should simply be allowed to die. At a Fox News debate here in South Carolins, a state that claims to be a hotbed of the conservative Christian movement, the crowd booed when Ron Paul cited the Golden Rule (which, just to help you guys out, is found in the gospel). BTW, I don't recall when your newspaper, which quotes the Bible on its masthead every morning, complained about that. America's soul is truly in danger. And just to correct your facts, the President is suggesting that the very rich should not pay taxes at a lower rate than the middle class, not that they should be soaked. Under supposedly pro-business Republican Richard Nixon, the rich faced a 70% tax bracket. No one has suggested a return to these rates, merely a reasonable tax system where the rich, who gain the greatest benefit from our country, don't get special breaks. Have a great morning, folks.
Techfan,in your opinion,does suspending drilling permits ONLY for U.S. companies and granting permits for foreign companies affect oil prices in the U.S.?
you are the chippie one this good Sunday morning. I save beheading for evil serpents, but that's not a shot at your handle. I'm as likely to vote for Roseanne as I am for any of the them. That said, I reserve MY right not to vote for anybody I don't want in office. So far, I haven't made any plans to visit the polls for the purpose of voting in a president. Yeah, I'm one of those people. I will say the idea of cooperative bipartisanship is defunct, which is probably why I'm apathetic to casting a vote for anyone.
My logic, if I voted, would be to put the person in the office who has the best chance of working with the legislature. Platform and ideology are antiquated and for all intensive purposes irrelevant if you can't implement them.
on a side note, Byrd Family Ministries is on. Get my day started CORRECT.
Nice sidestep. The question was,"do you agree with rosanne about beheading people that don't relinquish their wealth?"
I don't agree with committing murder
. For one, I got no clue what Roseanne said regarding beheading people. I heard something about her wanting the gov to forgive mortgage and ccard debt. Sorry , but I'll take not paying for something over paying for it at this point. I look out for my family and the money i make is just enough to keep them dry and eating. WOuld I sacrifice a principle to get a hand out? NO. I'm stretched but ethical. Venom is abbrasive. Some might be unlikely to vote your way based on that. Just a little insightful suggestion i guess. I'm sure of one thing and one thing only, that a president will be voted in and it won't be me doing the voting. I could lay out my position on Roseanne's intentions or ROmney's and so on, but what does it accomplish? My official understanding is that they all will be ineffectual due to bickering and undermining tactics employed by the opposition.
I'll fight for my own soul and leave the politicians to fight for yours.
If I owned stock in GE I'd sell if it fast if Obama loses.
I'd like to hear President Roseanne sing the National Anthem. Just makes sure she's outside when she spits at the end.
Wow!!! here we go again. You would think the editorial staff at the AC could find something better to write about. If you are referring to the soul America had before Obama, you and your buddies could not be more WRONG. I think Dr. King spoke volume about the soul of America while fighting for equal rights for all. Everyone else, to include the AC, is simply trying to promote a political agenda. Again, it will not work. Just like it did not work in 2008. We know better and will not allow our souls to be taken for granted. The AC is simply promoting the narrow minds of so many in this area, nothing more. America will move forward without you because as history has suggested, eventually the good in this country will prevail.
Also, when did the words of Romney become so important? And if they are, I guess he was right when he said "I don't care about the very poor". Just the guy we need as president were so many are struggling - I think not.
RunningMan, if we are going to slam every politician who misspeaks or has things taken out of context, Obama and Biden would be jackpots.
Rhetor- The rich who gain the greatest benefit from this country also give the grest benefit to this country. The folks that built Hme Depot produced over 1,000 millionaires, hired thousands up on thousnands of people, built the Atlanta Aquarium, and have helped thousnads of people. Cathy of Chick Fila fame has paid his taxes, hired thousands of people has scholarship funds for deserving students that work for him etc. Warren Buffet is leaving his billions to the Gates Foundation to help our world (as are the Gates who founded it). The list is long and almost endless. On top of that the wealthest 10% pay about 80% of the Federal total tax Burden while the lower 50% contribute almost nothing to the federal tax burden. Is this Fair? Only in a liberals dream is this fair and requiring more of the producers in society using wealth envy is NOT a perversion of fairness!
ACES complains about the Obama administration trying to "birth and raise" the alternative energy economy. Aces' point? The federal government has no business using tax policy (tax money) in an attempt to steer the free market [sic] in one direction or another. The Obama administration did in fact attempt to encourage alternative energy, but how different is that from the efforts of every Republican (and many Democratic) administrations to give Big Oil a more competitive place in the free market? What about all the tax loopholes enjoyed by Big Oil, or the notorious oil depletion allowance? Aren't they just as much instances of government intervening in the free market? The sheer hypocrisy of ACES on this particular subject is appalling, even if totally expected.
carcraft: here's a thought question: let us imagine for a moment that in the Presidential election in November there were only one single issue for the voters to decide on. If a majority of Americans believe in fairness that Mitt Romney should pay no more taxes than he currently does, then Mitt becomes President. If a majority votes that Mitt in fairness should pay more than he currently does, Obama gets a second term. So despite all the statistics you paraded in your answer to Rhetor, here is a simple question. Would you agree to an election as I described????
Remember President Obama's speech about "So they desperately cling to their guns and Bibles and are distrustful of people and cultures different from theirs". Obama's view of middle struggling America is that they are ignorant provincial ethnocentric people that desperately need government help to survive. Then NBC news went out to reinforce that belief of Obama by doing a "NASCAR sting" that back fired by having Muslims go to a NASCAR event and no prejudice was observed. Ahttp://newsbusters.org/node/4785 Now we take Romney's quote out of context to smear him. Oh well I well avoid Obama's ignorant prejudice against Americans in favor of Romney's measured responsive any day!
I'd agree to an election where the single issue was "Does Joe Biden pay enough in Charitable Contributions?"
I think he has averaged $369/year over the past decade. Liberals are very generous with other people's money.
EEL- The purpose of taxes is to raise revenue for the federal government to carry out the mandates for the Federal government discribed in the constitution. Where in the constitution is it mandated for the Federal Government to insure fairness or some concept of fairness? If the Lame stream media and Obama framed the issue about taxes, who pays and where the money goes NO! If the truth wre realistically presented then yes. We would have to include the billions the government has wasted on "geen energy" production companies that have gone to Obama buddies at Solyndra, or the $124 milion that went to a bqattery company owned by the 75th richest man in the World, you know things like that.
Carcraft, a dubious statistic. Your numbers neglect that the income group in question has much more than 80% of the nation's wealth and income; thus, for them to finance only 80% of the tax revenue does represent a failure to pay their fair share. BTW, I do agree that more of the lower income persons should pay a nominal amount of tax, just so they will feel a stake in how the money is spent. Enjoy your day, please.
Obama says we are "exporting more oil than ever":. Really! Exporting oil and buying more from foreign countries. This makes sense - or should I say "cents"?. REally, really?
What price are we selling our product for and what is the price we are paying to some one else for theirs? Do you really, really think we are getting more for our product? Duh..............
carcraft: you turn a simple question into a complicated one. My hypothetical asks about what the American people think is fair, not whether the constitution says anything about fairness. Conservatives talk all the time about the "people" "taking back the country." So answer my question. Would you leave the next presidential election to a simple vote on whether the American think Romney pays enough taxes?
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