I am writing about something that deeply troubles me to the point that I think about it several times a day. I have a feeling it could become quite lengthy. I know people nowadays are busy and are not generally fans of anything that takes longer than two minutes, so for your convenience I have divided it into a “short version” and a “long version” for your leisurely choosing. However, I would be interested to hear some feedback if you have the time.
“Short Version of the Post”Dear government:
History tends to indicate that you break everything you put your hands on. I am so glad that the founders of this country realized that you are a virus that erodes human liberty, prevents progress, and destroys individuality. You do not own the individuals of this country. We own you. We do not need you to make decisions for us, and we do not need you to tell us what is best. Do me a favor, and stay the hell out of my life.
Sincerely,
Jay
“Long Version of the Post”Since the latter portions of 2008, an alarming trend has been developing in the U.S. that deeply concerns me. I understand that not many people will be able to relate to this, and that is part of what concerns me the most. People generally do not care about the realities that loom over their lives and would rather remain oblivious. The people of my generation are dangerously ignorant, and that is by their own admission. People my age will often tell you unashamedly: “I don’t know, and I don’t care to know.” Even so, for those of us paying attention, we have watched the role of government grow in unprecedented ways, and there are no signs that it will slow anytime soon… especially with the current president.
The beginnings of the economic troubles saw a concerned government rushing to the rescue. Everyone acted out of knee-jerk reactions from fear that the economy would worsen even more. The point of this post is not to debate whether or not the country took the right paths of action in the latter parts of ’08 and the beginnings of ’09. The point is to realize the aftermath. The government, as a result of unfortunate circumstances, now has control of the banking and auto industries in this country…not the private sector.
In recent weeks, there has been a federal law passed that gives control of the tobacco industry to the FDA. The FDA can now regulate how much nicotine is in a cigarette, where tobacco is sold, tobacco advertisements, and the cost of tobacco. Again, this is not to argue whether smoking is good or bad. It is to point out the increase of government authority.
After the crash of mortgage firms and the bankruptcy of banks, the American people were searching for those to blame … and rightfully so. The companies responsible for the decline of the economy were placed under a microscope. Many were found to be corrupt to the core, while others were seemingly honest and simply unfortunate. The current administration decided it was a good idea to limit the pay of executives for the companies in question. To my knowledge, there has not been a law passed in this regard, but there has been much talk from the Obama administration and his supporters in Congress of an attempt to legislate financial mandates on these companies to ensure only a certain amount of profits and only a certain amount of pay for executives. While this may seem like a good idea in a knee-jerk state of mind, the concept of government controlling the finances of private companies is not an attractive one. Even though this defies any concept of American business and a free market place, the idea is becoming more and more attractive to Democrats.
Since these takeovers and flux of ideas, there are new and more significant developments as we speak that could change the face of the country as we know it. That is not melodrama, and that is not over-exaggeration. The realities are harsh, but real nonetheless. On Friday, the House of Representatives passed a ghost piece of legislation labeled to address the problems of global warming and energy crisis. Apart from the fact that a strong argument can be made supporting the non-existence of both global warming and an energy crisis, the legislation was not debated in the House before being rushed through for a vote. Three hundred extra pages of who-knows-what were added to the bill, for a grand total of around 1,300 pages, at 3 a.m. on Friday morning… just hours before it was rammed down the throat of the country. The truth is that no one really knows the full contents of the bill because it was not debated and very few representatives had even read the bill before it was deceptively rushed through for a vote under the pretense of urgency and importance. It may seem odd that a legislative body in a country such as ours would play the role of villain in this dark comedy play we call politics. The Democrats called this the most important piece of legislation in 100 years. They said it was essential for the country, but they would not allow a debate. They would not allow true democracy to take place. What happened on Friday was criminal, and the people of this country should demand answers. Since its passage, small bits and pieces of the ghost have been made visible. Parts of the legislation include mandates for citizens to comply with certain energy standards, both for automobiles and their own private homes. A report I read this afternoon stated that part of the bill would mandate that a house must be inspected for energy efficiency before being placed on the market for sale. Laws such as this do not belong in the United States. They belong in Russia.
The next piece to be moved by Obama on the giant chessboard will be that of his health care pawn. The Democrats of this country desire a single-payer, government-run health care system. The majority of Americans do not want a government-run health care system, but that does not matter to the Democrats in Congress. They will pass a piece of legislation in the dark of night if necessary. They made that abundantly clear on Friday. Nearly every day, Obama and Democrats in Congress bring up the health care issue, with promises to deal with it soon. If the likes of Pelosi and Reid have their way in the matter, the country will take initial steps towards socialized medicine. This will bolster the power of government to levels never seen before.
I have not expounded on the issues of climate change, energy, tobacco, or socialized medicine because again, that is not the point of this post. The point is to raise awareness of the domino effect that has begun in Washington. Obama and his administration seem hell bent on increasing the size and authority of government. No matter how much you love Obama, there is no escaping the fact that he believes in the power of government to solve problems. That is a statement of fact, not political slander. His policies, speeches, town hall meetings, and legislation are completely immersed in the idea of a more powerful State. Whether or not you think this is a good direction for the country is where opinion fits into the equation. I think this trend is dangerous and debilitating to individuals.
I will end as I began…commenting on the real role of government. This country was founded on the understanding that government has absolutely no place in the private lives of citizens. It can’t tell me how to run my life. It can’t tell me what kind of car I should or should not buy. It can’t tell me what kind of light bulbs to have in my home. It can’t force me to buy its insurance plan. It can’t prevent me from selling my house that I paid for with my money because it deems the structure environmentally unfriendly. It can’t dictate how much money I make at my job. It can’t take my money and give it to somebody else. It is a shame that an entire political party nowadays is committed to the idea that government can solve all your problems… and SHOULD solve all your problems. That type of thinking belongs in socialist governments of the world, not in the United States. If we allow Washington to dictate every day decisions and activities, we have lost our identity as a free nation.
So much of what the Democrats aim to accomplish are done so under “the best of intentions”. “All we want is for poor people to have health care and for less pollution to affect the environment and for corporate executives to not make too much money.” They sell their agenda on the back of emotion. Who can argue with health care for poor people? In the process, they indicate that somehow opposition to government health care is an indication that you don’t care about health care for the unfortunate. They also let their big-hearted attitudes overshadow any rationality regarding unintended consequences of a particular action. Consequences such as increased taxes in the midst of a recession. There are ways to solve the country’s problems that don’t involve maybe the worst Congress in the history of this country. If you think this post is way overblown and overhyped, you are dead wrong. The evidence is everywhere. The change is very slow, but still happening. If we do not find a way to reverse this trend, the country will suffer the consequences. Freedoms are what made the United States the prosperous nation that it is now… not government mandates.
- Jay
