The ACES are stealing my ideas also, hey ACES put me on the pay roll!
We like Barack Obama as a person. We don't want him to fail as a president. We want the country to succeed.
But we firmly believe he's well on his way to failing, in just the few months he's been in office.
That's because we utterly, completely, inexorably and for all time disagree with his government-centered approach to the economy.
Months after his much-ballyhooed economic stimulus package and other spending bills passed - without having been read through - the economy has shown few signs of turning around. Unemployment is still increasing, and approaching double digits. And even the president and vice president now acknowledge that stimulus money isn't getting into the economy in time to do much stimulating.
We don't know if the president and his advisers truly believe that the government can fuel the economy by sucking trillions out of it and then letting some of it trickle back down from Washington - or whether they just want to bring Soviet-style central planning to America and magically wipe out wage and earnings disparities they see as intrinsically unfair.
We suspect it's a combination of both. Consider: Not only does the administration want to cap executive compensation in companies it has taken over, but there are indications the White House wants to place limits on compensation on all companies, whether they're accepting federal bailout money or not.
An Obama economic adviser on the Sunday talk shows this week didn't exactly deny it.
What kind of view of America does that kind of thinking spring from - where the government can set limits like that on private business?
That's not the America we knew even six months ago.
No one should be surprised, however. During the campaign, candidate Obama admitted he would raise the capital gains tax as a matter of principle, even if that actually brought in less revenue. That should have been a red flag.
Now, with the economy still reeling - and our national debt exploding, to no avail - the White House is suggesting we can provide mandatory health care for everyone in America by taxing the wealthy.
Again, the goal seems not just to be health care reform, but social engineering: taking from those who have and giving it to those who do not, without regard for who did the work.
Didn't Joe the Plumber warn us about that?
"The outline," Bloomberg news says of health care reform now being discussed in Congress, "suggests consumers who have individual health insurance policies that they like could keep them. Still, it says that 'by and large' the nation's market for individually purchased health insurance policies would move to a new federally operated exchange."
How long would private insurance - and, therefore, choice - survive in competition with a tax-funded government system?
And how good would a government-run health-care system be for the nation's health?
Health care amounts to 17 percent of the nation's economy. More importantly, it's intensely private and personal. And we are on track to have the government take it over.
FDR never could spend the country's way out of the Depression. The thought that government can fix the economy by taking money out of it and then doling it back out is a shell game that strains credulity.
Today, the government's $787 billion "stimulus" has thus far failed. Only about $37 billion has been spent, and unemployment last week reached 9.4 percent, a 25-year low.
Frustrated that he hasn't gotten his massive bureaucracy to turn on a dime, President Obama Monday said he's accelerating stimulus spending in an effort to save or create 600,000 jobs this summer.
"The president is frustrated that it's taking so long to get the money into the American economy," writes the Christian Science Monitor.
We don't blame him for that. But we do blame him for thinking it would.
We said early on that we may have simply traded one hubris for another in going from President Bush to President Obama: Bush thought he could do more in foreign policy than he actually could; Obama seems to think he can do more domestically than he actually can - or should.
As the government moves to take over more and more of the economy, businesses and entrepreneurs are keeping their powder dry: No one knows where the economy is headed in the short term, but businesses have no idea where the government will be taking us over the long term. How can they invest and hire with confidence when they don't know what tax policies or health-care policies they'll be facing - or to what extent the government will come in to tell them how to run their operations?
It's a good bet the economy would have stimulated itself if the Obama administration - instead of trying to micromanage the economy - would have 1) sought a moratorium on collection of income taxes for six months or so, 2) cut corporate taxes, which are among the highest in the industrialized world and 3) changed trade and tax policies to encourage manufacturing and industry on U.S. soil instead of discourage it, which longtime policies have done.
Rather, the president and Congress decided they know better than the private sector how to get the economy going - that they know better than you do how your money should be spent.
Interesting. We'd like to see the factual, historical basis for that.
The federal government, as big as it has become, does a few things well. We have the best military in history. But even in waging war, the government is inept. Consider: A new report by the Wartime Contracting Commission finds that tens of billions of dollars have been simply wasted in the war effort since 2001.
What makes anyone - anyone - think the government can do any better with a car company? Or the banks? Or the health-care sector? Or the entire economy?
Taxpayers were already over $10 trillion in debt. Now we're going trillions more into debt - and getting precious little for it.
We'd be thrilled if the government stimulus really did turn the tide. We just don't see any reason why it would, or evidence that it has.
More likely, we are headed for a kind of socialism from which there may be no return.
Comments
The ACES are stealing my ideas also, hey ACES put me on the pay roll!
It's really funny how NObama insisted upon a very speedy passage of the stimulus and months later, we've only spent 5% of it!
Amen! Obama is just like all of the politicians both democrats and republicans. However, he is by far spending and passing socalist programs with huge budgets that greatly exceed every other president. While cutting our military budgets he is giving billions to failing companies and then telling them how to run their business of course until the file bankruptcy. I also want to see this administration succeed because I am just as disgusted with the republican spending and could care less who is in charge as long as they will just stop the madness. The Federal government should handle national security, public safety, education and infrastructure. Everything else should be privatized, handled by the states, churches, charity, family or yourslef....Obama is an enabler and is furthering the cause for those who do absolutely nothing positive for our society.
"Today, the government's $787 billion "stimulus" has thus far failed. Only about $37 billion has been spent, and unemployment last week reached 9.4 percent, a 25-year low." As you say, unemployment is high and getting higher. In the midst of all this, the Democrats stupidly want to provide health care for all. However, here is something for those of us in the south to think about. Since southern states have large minority, uninsured populations, the northern states will be sending billions our way. Maybe there is a bright spot in the madness.
The real minority is the working tax payer, if you aren't contributing you shouldn't have a vote on who or how it is spent...We all want the USA to succeed and be the place we remember and are proud of. I don't think this administration cares about that, their agenda is to take , take , take and give it away....
Milty? Are you in need of a job? lol 2nd thread so far I've seen ya willing to work for your so-called contributions. (ya killing me. lol)
anyone else hear about this lovely plan the congressional democrats are working on that would place a financial penalty on people who don't enroll in a health care plan? http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gap9wCaolRYguYQesA2i2Y...
Not much credibility from the right-wing that miserably destroyed our economy as well as our standing in the world. The AC only preaches to it's choir of right-wing supporters. In other words, the AC has no credibility as an objective news organization. Kinda like Pravda. Making proclamations when a President has been in office a few months is just an example of trying to stir-up Anti-Americanism. Next thing we'll hear about is secession. You are good for a laugh or 2, however. I can't stop howling at the ignorance of southernguy and patriciathomas.
and some smarter people reading "these letters". Justus, this is an editorial, not an LTE. ba-dum chhh
When a President wants to do things that will harm our country, we should all want him to fail in the attempt. How is this a difficult concept?
Anyone who opposes some kind of affordable health insurance plan: Do a little research on what it costs to buy a private health insurance policy. Just out of curiosity, I checked out ehealthinsurance. For the two of us the cheapest monthly premium is $214.73. Sounds reasonable until you see it has a $20,000 deductible per individual, $40,000 family and only pays 70% above that. Great, have insurance, get sick, go bankrupt.
Why would anyone like someone who thinks killing unborn babies is okay. I see no indication that he loves this country or God. He needs a new heart and only Jesus can do that.
The dems refuse to see that Bush had the highest economy and lowest unemployment until the Congress became controlled by Democrats. Six years we were riding high and then the last 2 - into the toilet and now Obama is flushing it.
Obama solution is following academic advisors who tell him "on paper" you will create 4 million jobs but fail to mention the 6 million he destroyed getting there. Academics are great with theory but generally get lost in reality (how many academics run a successful business-they have tenure and good benefits). We do need affordable health insurance but a having the govt run GM, social security, medicare-medicaid, and health care doesn't seem the most prudent path. Isn't social security about broke-isn't the govt broke? The govt needs to learn to regulate not rule.
It's amazing. History is repeating itself. People don't see it and worst yet the media isn't wanting to bring it to the public's attention because it's not politically correct.
Our country is on the same path as that of Germany during the pre-Hitler days. That's how Hitler got into power - he was the Savior. I challenge anyone to look back and seen the way Hitler operated. Obama is doing the same thing that Hitler did. Hitler hid his past because he thought he was of Jewish decent and Obama is doing the same. Don't believe me? Then why is it obama is not making public he birth certificate? Obama is not a natural born citizen. He's not eligible to be President.
Wake up, people!! Wake up!
ox: And the moon landing was fake and wrestling is real.
The stimulus money that has been handed out would have been better used by giving it to the legal citizens of the states to spend on cars and homes and food and clothes etc. Then more jobs would be made because demand for supplies would have been back on track. It was just matter of time before the house of credit came tumbling down. You cannot keep borrowing on tomorrow to pay for today.
southern: Guess what, you get to pay for all the uninsured folks anyway due to higher medical costs. Some don't give a dam and don't want to pay anyway. Many of the responsible folks are financially ruined due to medical bills or don't seek medical care early when many illnesses are easily treatable. Nice to know you'll refuse Medicare when you become of age.
But remember the reason govt wants control of your health care is to prevent what "they deem" as frivilous health care or procedures. Wow. Obama is a physician too. The govt needs to intervene to get all the players to play nice but not take over. You can't spend your way into prosperity when you are broke. Just watch with the "empathy" factor play with health care where the poor and middle class will benefit but the wealthy will be screwed. Now that is equality under the law and "universal" health care. It isn't about "universal" health care that is a joke. It is about subsidizing the middle class, and likely the poor and rich will both be screwed. Obama is catering to his voting base the middle class, and screwing the rich and poor.
and now the federal reserve is hiring a lobbyist. one linda robertson who was enron's chief washington lobbyist. yes the federal reserve, the private corporation with a monopoly on our money supply. yes the one whose member banks ripped off the world and americans and then ripped us off again with tarp. tax payers money. why a lobbyist? because there is a bill in congress to audit this private enterprise. you can sign a petition of support here:
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/campaigns/auditthefed.php
Yeah lets put an entity that pays 500 for a hammer in charge of a struggling company. Makes perfect sense to me.
OB you tated six years we were riding high and then the last 2 - into the toilet and now Obama is flushing it.
Where did you live?
oxonhill
Give it a break; don't you think if this was true the pubs would route it out.
Once they start a gov't run health insurance plan to compete with the private sector, you will almost immediately see the creation of a 2 tiered healthcare system. I'm sure Justus and Shivas will be the first to complain about the fact that those with private insurance will have a greater choice of physicians, better hospitals, and access to more procedures and medications, while the poor black man is forced to go to a cattle call physician office, has limited choice of medications, run down hospitals, and has some G-3 medical clerk deciding whether his surgey will be approved or not. Now that's reform and change I'm sure you will all be proud of.
AA, you most not have followed the story. It was a Hillary Clinton supporter (among many others) who fought in the courts trying to get Obama to authorize the release of proof of citizenship. The Obama campaign spent between $800,000 and $1,000,000 to fight have to produce the documents.The birth certificate that Obama posted on his website was not considered proof by some who said his mother could have obtained it after he was born.
And it is not just our politicians on the wrong track. Now the "cow fart" tax is here. The EPA, an unelected, unsupervised, and unregulated government agency is proposing $hundreds of dollars per ANIMAL, per year, tax on cows and a smaller tax on pigs. Does anyone out there understand what this will do to the price of meat, cheese, milk, etc.? Our government has lost it's collective mind. Based on these types of taxes, the taxes Obama and the Dems are proposing such as VAT, soft drinks, alchohol, cigarettes, Cap-and-Trade, and the great unknown of the cost of universal healthcare, we will soon be paying 90% of our incomes for additional taxes, rich and poor. The states and local governments of course will be part of that because they have to raise their taxes too to pay for the federally mandated programs that are part of the "stimulus" when the federal money runs out. It is time for a revolution. As a nation we have lost our mind. We have given up our all of our money, our grandchildren's future, and our Constitution in the name of hating George Bush.
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