Is the Democratic Party capable of improving America’s current economic conditions?

Two contrasting visions of how to manage the economy will be competing for our votes in November of 2012.  America’s number one priority is to devise and implement effective solutions to create more jobs and turn around our economy.

In ancient times through the 17^th Century, Alchemists claimed the ability to magically turn common metals into Gold or Silver.  In the early 21^st century, America’s President Obama strongly aided by the ruling Democratic majority in Congress magically claimed that the passage of the $800 Billion Stimulus package and the implementation of traditional Liberal/Progressive economic policies would create a turn around that would lead to lower unemployment and an improving economy.

Given the ongoing negative headlines regarding the continued failure of Obamanomics, trust in any significant positive outcomes deriving from Keynesian inspired Democratic economic theory seems as equally absurd as believing in the powers of Alchemy.

One of the two following competing economic ideologies will best serve our country in the future.  The following is a brief overview of the main tenets of each of the two leading competing approaches to managing the economy:

  Obamanomics/Liberal:                         Reaganomics/Conservative:

Increase Government Spending	Reduce Growth of Government Spending
Increase Taxes	Reduce Income and Capital Gain Taxes
Increase Government Regulation	Reduce Government Regulation
The power of the organizations such as Unions predominate	The power of the individual predominates
Increase the money supply to lower interest rates	Control the money supply to reduce inflation
Government plays an expanded role in providing investments in the economy	Private Sector takes the primary responsibility to allocate Capital

Reagan’s policies in the 1980s created an economic triumph while Obama’s approach today is failing us miserably.  Even with the hard evidence since the passing of the Stimulus package and other similar measures of the failure in practice of Liberal Economic policies, it is unlikely that President Obama and the Congressional Democratic leadership will choose to change course.  They are ideologically incapable of offering alternative solutions to our economic challenges outside the realm of their traditional liberal thinking.

A long term continuation of current policies will mean a permanent lowering of American living standards.  Key segments of society such as the middle class and the poor are under attack on a daily basis. In Europe we have seen ugly scenes of civil unrest. In America, this summer has been touched with pockets of random violence and anti-social behavior. George Clooney, Warren Buffet, Jeffrey Immelt and the majority of the Main Stream Media may be happy with the current environment – many of them are wealthy enough to not be affected by the downturn, however, the rest of us are none too pleased.  Let’s show them what we think and feel in November of 2012, by voting to change our nation’s direction by choosing a new President with views similar to a leader that implemented solutions already tested as successful – former President Ronald Reagan.

Are we seeing the end of the Liberal Era in America?

Why Americans in 2012 will vote for a Conservative as President.

   

Left and Right are labels that designate the two contrasting and opposing Liberal-Progressive and Conservative political philosophies. The American political system operates like a pendulum that moves Left or Right adjusting to the results of the election outcomes for President and Congress.

The Progressive and Conservative operating philosophies line up on the opposite sides of the spectrum in the following ways:

Core Liberal-Progressive Values:                         Core Conservative Values:

Collective duties and responsibilities	Individual Freedoms and Personal Responsibility
Expansive Government	Limited Government
Federal Control by Washington D.C.	Local Control by State and Local Government
Secular Society – Man is supreme	Belief in a higher authority
Interpret the law according to the circumstance	Enforce and live by established standards
The law should change over time	Traditional, the law is more eternal by nature
The Minority rules	The Majority rules
Celebration of what makes us different	Celebration of what we have in common
Emotion and feelings dominate	Rationality and Reason dominate

                                               

On a Presidential Level, Democrats Wilson, FDR, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson and Carter moved the political pendulum to the Left and Republicans Coolidge, Hoover, Eisenhower, Reagan moved the pendulum to the Right. Nixon was labeled a conservative who operated at times somewhat to the Left and Clinton a liberal who was forced to lean a small degree to the right for several pragmatic reasons.  George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush moved the pendulum to the right of center; however, many of their fiscal policies were not conservative in nature.  Teddy Roosevelt changed his political outlook from conservative to progressive as the years went along. He became a prominent pioneer of the Progressive movement. 

Every measure of current sentiment points to Americans feeling extremely uneasy about their government and their futures. In order to move forward and address the challenges that face us, it is important to have a clear understanding of the current situation. President Obama’s vision of America moves the political pendulum significantly to the left at an accelerating rate. More and more Americans are alarmed each day that the current Administration has implemented policies based on the liberal progressive agenda and they have failed us miserably. Americans are more cognizant that Liberalism in practice does not work.

The dramatic increase in Federal Government spending leading to record deficits, the passage of  Obama Care, increased Federal regulation of business, the lack of an energy policy that promotes self-sufficiency, failed Education policies and promotion of the grow of Union power all contribute to an economy that is suffering with no end in sight. Small business and Entrepreneurs are the drivers of job growth in this country. Their reluctance to hire and expand is caused by the increasingly uncertain environment created by current politics.

Beyond our own failures, many European countries on are also on display desperately fighting the economic catastrophes created by advanced Socialism. The burdens of Cradle to Grave Socialism have caught up in devastating ways to Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, the United Kingdom and lately France.

What do we do? The traditional answer has always been the best answer for America. Americans are faced with failure especially in economic matters due to the movement of the public policy pendulum too far Left. When the economy is dramatically suffering, we have a strong history of voting into office leaders that worked to regain a proper balance between the two competing core value systems.

From Hoover to FDR,

From Truman to Eisenhower,

From Carter to Reagan,

From George H.W. Bush to Clinton,

From George W. Bush to Obama,

From Obama to a Conservative.

2012 will be the year Americans vote to adjust the political pendulum back to the right.

 

How do we repair the American Economy?

Follow the Leaders to Prosperity

America’s dynamism is enabled by our economic prowess. Our traditional economic strength was made possible by the exercise of individual freedom in a predominately free market by a highly educated population. The major challenge faced today by America is to create jobs and spur economic growth.

It has always been true that the private sector has produced the majority of the wealth of this country. The major challenge facing America today is that the Progressive ideology practiced by President Obama and the modern Democratic Party focuses primarily on economic re-distribution rather than economic growth. When the Progressives do face the issue of economic growth, they base their approach on the assumption that the Government is primarily responsible for job creation rather than the private sector.

In the name of social justice, the government has played an ever increasing role redistributing wealth from the taxpayers to the designated disadvantaged at the expense of a dynamic and growing economy. President Obama’s economic policy includes such job killing measures such as more government control in health care, increased regulation of the energy sector and more environmental controls, the public sector takeover of the auto industry and Financial Reform legislation.

In addition, the promotion of labor union power increases at the expense of both the private and public sector has had dampening effects upon our economic health. The ever increasing power of the Democratic Party controlled Education and Legal monopolies stymie meaningful reform in these two strategically important sectors of our society. All the increased measures of having the Federal Government play an increased role in our economy has made America less competitive in the global economy. Americans cannot afford these policies any longer.

Our move further to the Left in regard to these economic policies has made the Middle Class increasingly the target of its failure. At the heart of the implementation of progressive economic policies, is the punishment of success. Progressives aim to level the opportunity for outstanding achievement usually by lowering the standards for all but the anointed elite. Progressive economic philosophy depreciates the traditional successful middle class American values of hard work, self reliance and competition.   

If we are to face up to our current economic challenges, we need models of success for America to emulate to lead us out of our economic malaise. As a counter to the prevailing Progressive economic agenda, where can we look for models of positive policies that have produced more successful outcomes? Where are the exceptions to these prevailing rules?

Several State Governors have shown the way. State and local governments possess an inherent advantage when it comes to fiscal responsibility. Unlike our Federal Government, State and Local Governments are mandated by law to balance their budgets every fiscal year. A partial honor role of leaders taking truly opposing and successful approaches to the issue of economic growth and job creation during challenging times are Governors Chris Christie, Scott Walker, Rick Scott, John Kaisch, Rick Perry, Mitch Daniels, Bob McDonnell and Luis Fortuno. What approaches do they have in common and what can this nation learn from their successful efforts? What do such seemingly differing places such as New Jersey, Wisconsin, Florida, Ohio, Texas, Indiana and Puerto Rico have in common?

The Governors of these States and a Commonwealth promote the following policies:

-       Limited government and spending.

-       Reliance on the private sector.

-       Low taxes on individuals and business.

-       Promotion of pro-business climate through a favorable regulatory environment and development incentives.

-       Implementation of programs that make the delivery of services more efficient and less costly that utilize both public and private sector resources.

-       The limiting of the cost of labor by curtailing the power of public sector unions.

-       Reform of education through imposing higher academic standards, school and teacher accountability and increased competition through school choice.

Each State and Puerto Rico have slightly differing approaches to addressing the above listed goals; however, in each case implementing solutions based on Conservative principals have resulted in the creation of more jobs and revenues. Contrast the success of these examples with progressively governed California. By every measurement of economic health, California is a failure. People vote with their feet and move from Progressive States such as California and New York to settle in an oasis of economic freedom such as Texas. How do we turn around our economy on a national basis? Follow the leaders to prosperity and free the American entrepreneurial spirit.    

  

Is America facing an identity crisis?

It is obvious to many that the American political system is in trouble. Many are worried about the future direction of this country. America is facing no less than an identity crisis. How do we start to solve the great issues of the day? Where do we start?

Great leaders have always emerged in our history at the time of crisis to show us the way. However, it is the citizen's duty to learn as much as possible regarding the leading issues and challenges of the day so when it is time to enter the voting booth an informed decision can be made.

Citizens still have the power in this country - the key is for all of us is to exercise it. The issue of greater citizen participation goes beyond merely voting. The rapid growth of the Tea Party movement is a current example of proactive direct citizen action. More importantly it reflects a significant discontent among mainly middle class citizens across the country. Tea Party members represent the full spectrum of Republican, Independent and Democratic voters. They aim to reclaim government from the established elites, the insiders and to change the status quo. It is truly a grass-roots effort dominated by local organizations interconnected by New Media. Their efforts will lead to a government more reflective of middle class or conservative views.

The identity crisis that America faces is due to the ongoing competition between the views of the Progressives and the Conservatives. With the election of President Obama and the sweep of Democrats into office in 2008, our country has taken on an even more European style Progressive/Socialist flavor. The most interesting point is due to the failure and unsustainable nature of the Progressive/Socialist economic and social models in Europe, these nations have been forced to cut the size and scope of their governments.

We live in an era influenced by the ideas of governing that became popular at the turn of the 20th century called the Progressive Era. The progression of the role of government from that time to now has been towards dominant responsibility of societal problem solving being assumed more and more each year by the Federal Government. In order to take on such vast responsibilities, the Federal Government demands an increasingly large amount of funding each year and resorts to borrowing from future generations in order to pay its obligations.

Nothing less than the future identity of America is at stake in the next election in 2012. The conflict lies on the dividing line between the the political philosophies of the Left (Progressives) and the Right (Conservatives).  We are currently operating with an Administration implementing political solutions that has moved this dividing line even further left. The voters in the recent Congressional elections of 2010 have sent a strong message that the government's role in society on both a Federal and State & Local level must be reduced.

President Obama and the Democratic agenda of a society dominated by certain elites operating through the ever increasing powers of the Federal Government has been tried and has dramatically failed in so many ways. The Tea Party movement is gaining increasing momentum and its collective message is that we must move our path back to solutions based on a more conservative and individual based approach. The collective solutions run by big government are both ineffective, inefficient and often fail miserably.

The success or failure of the Tea Party Movement will be the dominant factor in determining America's identity in the years to come. It is the duty of the movement to present its message as clearly as possible and let the people decide. All of our futures are at stake.


  

Campaign 2012- Will Americans voluntarily give up their freedoms?

On April 19, 1775 eight Militia men were killed and ten more were wounded at Lexington, Massachusetts in the first battle in The War for Independence.  It was called the “Shot heard ‘round the world”.  Millions of Americans over the years have worked and fought tirelessly so all of us can live in freedom.

Chris and Ted Stewart, authors of a recent bestselling book titled “The Miracle of Freedom – 7 Tipping Points that Saved the World” make the case that fewer than 5% of human beings that ever lived – lived in freedom.  Americans can count their blessings that they are members of this very select group of individuals.

It is obvious to many that the American political system is in trouble and will be facing a decisive decision point on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Many issues will be debated during the run-up to the November 2012 elections; however, the essential issue that the voters will determine is how much power shall be allocated to the individual versus the collective.


The great American experiment instituted by The Founding Fathers is based on the premise that man can rule himself. This proposition will be put to a critical test next November and will be decided voluntarily by the voters. The election will be a fundamental test of individual American’s resolve to continue to live in liberty and to exercise the responsibility of such a choice.

Bill Clinton’s Presidential victory over the then incumbent President George H.W. Bush was driven by a campaign focused on the following slogan:

“It’s the Economy - stupid!”

I believe the eventual 2012 Republican Presidential campaign message to every American citizen should be:

“It’s your freedom – stupid!”  

It is time for Americans to reclaim and exercise their freedoms for a better America. Power must flow back once again to reside in the hands of every single American. Government must be made to play a more limited role in all our lives.