Politics and Insights from History

Another day.  Another Speech.  Barack gave his State of the Union address last Tuesday.  There was nothing special about this speech.  It was a rehash of all of his past speeches for the past three years.  Once again, Obama asked for more federal programs, created more federal agencies, more federal spending, more federal regulations, demanded that the States go along with his proposals, and demanded that Congress pass certain pieces of legislation.  Once again, Obama demanded that the government play an active role in the development of clean energy, something that is best left to private enterprise.  Once again, Obama participated in class warfare as he pitted the rich and poor against each with the tired mantra of the rich needing to “pay their fair share”.    Once again, Obama blamed Wall Street for the housing collapse when a bulk of the blame rests with Congress and the Federal government.

Obama’s State of the Union was full of meaningless fluff, but held little in specifics.  He spreads the lie that he saved the economy and created jobs, while many Americans wonder if they can get through on the next paycheck as prices on gas and consumer goods continue to rise.   Obama takes the credit for bringing change to the Middle East.  Though he neglects to mention that the Middle East is being overrun by radical Islamists who have little love for freedom or for Americans.  He wants to hand out free education, forgetting that someone bears the cost, and he wants to make illegals legal.

Obama talks about American values, but he does not know what our values are.  Barack Obama believes in a society where everyone earns the same, has the same amount of goods, works the same kind of job, has the same opportunities.  Barack Obama believes in the imaginary world of where everything is fair.  However, he doesn’t believe that he should be held back from his special opportunities.

Obama praised the military, but neglected to mention his cuts in the defense budget.

Obama made a lot of Demands of Congress, the States, and the people.  He did this while feeding his ego.

But there is a portion of this speech that concerns me and should concern every American.  Here Obama states:

“Some of what’s broken has to do with the way Congress does its business these days. A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything - even routine business - passed through the Senate. Neither party has been blameless in these tactics. Now both parties should put an end to it. For starters, I ask the Senate to pass a rule that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote within 90 days.

The executive branch also needs to change. Too often, it’s inefficient, outdated and remote. That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy so that our Government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.”

Barack Obama is violating the Constitution by even making this request.  He is unilaterally changing the law of this land.  The way the Senate votes is laid down in Article One of the Constitution and cannot be changed unless both Houses of Congress choose to amend it.  For Obama to ask the Senate to change the way it votes is disturbing.  No president has done this before.  No president should do this.  The President and Congress belong to two different branches of government.

What is equally disturbing is Obama’s request for special powers that will allow him to unilaterally change the Executive Branch and the Federal Government.  This is not only unconstitutional, but it is wrong.  Nowhere does the Constitution allow the granting of special powers to the President.  Such a measure puts too much power in the hands of the President, in the hands of one person.

If Obama was granted this request, how long would he have this special authority?  Would he give it up?  This is dangerous ground and everyone should keep a careful eye on the Executive Branch, especially Barak Obama.  To even consider granting one man all this power is hazardous territory.

This is a path we as Americans must not tread.  It will only lead to our destruction.  Such measures are how people like Adolf Hitler came about.  This is how dictators get their authority.  They do not always take it by force.  Why, when people willingly give it to them?  This is the first step to turning the presidency into a dictatorship.  Do not grant the President emergency authority.  Doing so will sign the death certificate of American liberty.

It appears that the bill which would extend the current tax code, has become another ominous spending bill. Last week the Republicans caved in to Obama’s demand that unemployment benefits be extended for 13 months in exchange for a two-year extension of the current tax code, which includes what we call the Bush Tax Cuts. Now, let’s get something straight. Many on the left have purported the same lie that only the wealthy are getting a tax cut and not the middle class. There is no tax cut! No one is getting a tax cut! All the Republicans proposed was that the current tax code, which expires January 1, 2011, be extended. If it is extended then your tax rates will stay the same. If it is not, then your taxes will go up.
The Democrats in Congress, especially in the Senate, are fighting to ensure that tax rates go up in January. Remember, the current tax code expires in January, meaning that tax rates will increase. Now ask yourself this, why are the Democrats so opposed to keeping the current tax code? Why are they insistent that the Bush Tax Cuts should expire, which will increase taxes on everyone, rich and poor?
The Senate, led by Harry Reid, is porking up the bill. They have added a bunch of provisions: more federal subsidies for ethanol, bio-diesel fuel, energy efficient homes and appliances, rum production, mining production, and federal handouts to the film and TV industry. None of these industries deserve federal money. They should be left to the private sector. But the bigger question is: why are these industries receiving federal money?
This bill, which started out as a simple extension of the tax code and unemployment, has gone from costing $55 billion to a whopping $855 billion thanks to all of the additions made by the Senate. That is just over a 15% increase in the amount of money being spent. This bill has become a place for every Senator to get their pet project through that couldn’t get passed otherwise. And most of the provisions in the bill for alternative energy credits were in the currently halted Cap and Trade bill. Harry Reid put them in this bill to get them passed.
This bill is no longer about extending the current tax code. It has become another spending bill for the Obama administration. Obama will sign in into law because if passed he ultimately wins. This bill allows him to acquire what he failed to get passed in the last two years. If the economy suffers another downturn, which it will if this passes, Obama and the Democrats will blame Republicans and their insistence on extending the Bush Tax Cuts.
But know this: if the economy suffers another downturn it will be the fault of the Democrats in Congress and President Obama. The only thing that the Republicans are getting out of this is a two-year extension of the current tax code. The Democrats are getting at least $800 billion worth of their pet projects. Remember who added all the pork.
One can only hope that this bill fails to make it out of Congress. But if it does pass, the American people will suffer greatly.

This is a 45 minute presentation that explains briefly what Trickle Up, Trickle Down, and Supply Side economics are.  Hope you all find it helpful.   (Note: In the the first video when you here “9 million”, it’s supposed to be “9 trillion”.)