Monday, March 26, 2012

"The most important election of our lifetime"

"The most important election of our lifetime"...we hear this every Presidential election from both Democrats and Republicans as they regurgitate all the standard election year talking points. But the more I look at the state of this country, the more I believe THIS IS the most important election of our life time.

1/ The National Debt - This is the most important problem facing this nation, yet the least understood by the average American.  We can understand what a billion dollars is because we read about "billionaires" like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet every day (although 99.99% of us will never experience being a billionaire). But how many Americans can even comprehend a "trillion" dollars? That's 1000 billion folks...hard to comprehend isn't it? Starting with President Bush, out of control spending has resulted in a US national debt that will approach $16 trillion this year and most of our leaders, especially our President, do not seem to have a clue, much less the desire to address this problem. Why?  Because this is an election year when politicians are only interested in protecting their job and will do nothing that might cause pain to their constituents. But believe me, at this point there is no way to solve this problem without pain. 

And sadly the "pain" may be inherited by our children and grandchildren.


2/ The Entitlement Society - This is really the redistribution of income from the "payers" to the "takers". The US has always been a compassionate country; religious organizations and ordinary citizens have always led the effort to take care of people in need. But the "takers" are approaching a majority in this country - 42 million on food stamps, two years unemployment insurance, subsidized housing, free college education, school breakfast lunch and dinner, welfare that can make you rich if you have enough children, free government supplied cell phone and minutes....etc. I could go on. Don't classify me as a "right wing radical", I do feel the "unfortunate" in this country should be taken care of, but they should also be given an opportunity to improve themselves by hard work and by given the freedom to make their own way.

"Ask not what your country can do for you..." those famous words by John Kennedy have long since been forgotten in the Democratic philosophy. Barack Obama's campaign slogan should be: "Ask what the government can do for you". The Democrats know that an "entitlement society" is necessary to keep them in power or they would quickly become irrelevant. Many of these entitlement programs sadly just keep poor people "on the Democratic plantation".

There is also a very important side issue connected to the move toward becoming an entitlement society - this country is broke.  I keep being reminded of Margaret Thatcher's famous quote; "The problem with Socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money".

3/ Government control and regulations - A recent report by the House Government Oversight and Reform Committee says the Obama administration has imposed 75 new major regulations costing more than $380 billion over ten years. To be fair, I have done some research and during the last two years of the Bush administration, they began the "tsunami" of regulations that is stifling freedom, especially for small businesses that create most of the new jobs. We all agree that some government regulation is required but it is out of control.

Here is a small example: The Department of Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade (yes that's their name), has almost 500 employees that regulate and approve wine labels. And they are now considering the requirement to add "serving facts" that would list fat content, calories, carbohydrates, and protein data on wine labels. They recently rejected a label by a local Paso Robles winery because the wine was to be called "Antidote", which the regulators said had a "curative claim", while at the same time signing off on a label from an Illinois winery called "Liquid Panty Remover"...that's funny. But sadly these government wine label "regulators" probably make more money and get better pensions than 90% of all winery workers in the US, and they produce nothing.

But among all new regulations Obamacare is the "poster child" for government control. God help us if the Supreme Court finds it legal.


4/  The Supreme Court - Few people pay attention to this, but it is another very big issue in this important election. Several liberal Supreme Court judges are old, and the next President could appoint as many as two new judges. With a Republican President and Congress we have the opportunity to remake this as a Court that will go back to following the Constitution as the Founders intended. If Obama is reelected and can somehow increase the liberal majority on the court, in my opinion we will slowly become a socialist country with a long term prognosis of disaster.

If Republicans hold the House and take the Senate, they can stop much of the new regulations and hopefully slow down the disastrous deficit and entitlement spending, but they will not be able to repeal Obamacare (if it is found to be legal), and will not be able to nominate judges to the Court. For many of us, this Republican primary has been disappointing - not very impressive candidates; they spend their time attacking each other instead of the target - Obama and his policies. But it's time to "consolidate our forces" and get ready to attack. In my opinion, Santorum and Gingrich are just mucking things up and neither would be a good President, or have a chance against Obama. Mitt Romney may not be our first choice, but with the right VP, he has the best chance of beating Obama, which is the only thing that matters in this election.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well said Chuck.

Mike Engleman said...

Very well thought out and well said. Thank you.

Mac and James said...

I appreciate your political insight, Grandpa. As much as I don't like to think about the mess that the government has created, and the inevitability of my generation having to pay for it, it is nice to stay informed and do my part to incite change. Hopefully, others my age will stop being oblivious to the system/negligent to educate themselves. Hopefully, they will come to their senses and take advantage of the opprtunities afforded them by such an important election year. Thanks for doing your part to inspire that change.

Chuckie D said...

Mac - Thanks for your comments. I wish we could get more young people like you involved. Sadly, many young people have no idea what the facts are, they take no interest,yet will go out and vote for Obama because he is "cool".

kimberlee said...

I will admit i am one of those kids that are oblivious to anything political because i see that it is so messed up and in a sense hopeless.
I did not vote for Obama or anyone else last election because i feel that if i am not informed on the candidates, I have no place to have a say. You have inspired me to become more aware and maybe do some research on the current candidates. I want to vote but i want to make sure I vote for the right person. (Well the best person from slim pickings anyway)

Chuckie D said...

Good for you Kim,that's how it starts, just do a little research and the learning will begin. Most of all - vote! Grandpa