The Voice of Reason: Election of 2012 Will Be Our Second Most Important

The Presidential Election of 2012 will undoubtedly be viewed by historians in 100 years as the second most important election in American history.

The first election, of course, was the most important election in our country's history.  A young nation was willing to award king-like power to our first President.  Fortunately, the leader of the Revolutionary War, George Washington, won the election and became the model for future Presidents.  Instead of grabbing for the almost-unlimited power available to him, Washington cautiously navigated the separation of powers outlined in the Constitution, realizing that the fledgling nation needed to move toward the democratic vision of our founding fathers, instead of the monarchy model found in England.

Just as the outcome of the first election determined whether or not America would resemble a democracy or monarchy, this year's election will determine whether America moves  towards a European-style democracy that borders (or crosses into) socialism or will return to being the country our founding fathers envisioned when writing the Constitution.

To those who believe strongly in the Constitution, the choice should be crystal clear.  But for those who are the beneficiaries of a strong federal government and its numerous social programs that support them, the choice may be more difficult.

Currently about half of the country benefits from big government programs, while the other 50% pay for them.  While a little more than 50% of Americans pay income taxes, nearly 50% do not.  President Barack Obama's policies to "redistribute the wealth" have only encouraged more Americans to apply for unemployment, disability, welfare, food stamps and numerous other government programs.  For many, the monetary compensation and benefits they receive for not working is close to the compensation and benefits they would receive for working. Why would anyone work if they could stay at home and live nearly as well, especially when the horrific Obama economy has limited their opportunities for a decent income?

The sad part is that many Americans have simply given up trying to improve their lots in life.  Many have found it easier to maintain a minimal standard of living -- and the Obama Administration has encourged this through the expansion of numerous social programs. The result is that more and more Americans are living on less than they were before President Obama was elected.  A recent report recently revealed that the median household income for Americans of all ages was 4.8% lower in June 2012 than it was when the recovery technically started three years earlier, in June 2009.
http://www.startribune.com/nation/167272875.html?refer=y 

America is quickly becoming a country that encourages mediocrity instead of exceptionalism. In fact, in a recent speech, President Obama downplayed the importance of intelligence and hard work in determining one's success. His views about how government -- not intelligence and hard work --determine the success of Americans provide an excuse for any American who is not successful:  They simply haven't received enough support from government to succeed.

President Obama's policies, attitudes and actions have strongly communicated that America is no longer the place where an individual can save money, build a business and become an overwhelming success.  To the President, if someone is successful, it is because the federal government, not the individual, made it happen.  To President Obama, the American dream is dead, unless the government gives you that dream. 

Very early in a second Obama term, more Americans will be supported by the government than those who are supporting the government through taxes. President Obama has made it very clear he wants the most successful Americans to pay even higher taxes, which will provide them with a financial disincentive to suceeed.  More American businesses and high net worth individuals will move offshore, avoiding America's regressive tax policies, which will create even more unemployment.  As a result, more Americans will determine that it's easier to stay at home and receive a check than to head out to work every day. Those lucrative benefits offered by the government will eventually have to be cut dramatically, or taxes will have to be increased on more Americans to pay for them. The middle class, dwindling because of the loss of American jobs, will not be spared from the dramatic tax increases. In order to pay for these programs, even with higher taxes, America will plunge more deeply in debt, creating a Greece-like financial disastor in our country within the next four years and eroding the standard of living for all Americans. The interest alone on the national debt will soon consume the majority of the federal budget, so much so that other countries will no longer loan us funds to continue our spending spree.

President Obama is a proponent of big government, more social programs, government takeovers of business (i.e., GM and the healthcare system) and the government, not the free market, picking winners and losers (i.e., trying his best to kill the coal industry through EPA regulations, while supporting alternative energy companies like Solyndra).  In other words, he believes in a European-style of democracy that is more like socialism than a capitalistic, democratic society.

The antidote for this imminent disastor is for America to grow its economy, get people off their couches and back to work, provide incentives for Americans to succeed and build businesses, get its federal budget under control, and slow the growth of entitlement and social programs so that they don't bankrupt the country and are available for future generations of Americans. In other words, America needs to become America again, allowing the principles of capitalism to determine winners in the marketplace, while limiting the powers of the federal government.

The Obama Administration has shown no indication whatsoever that it's willing to promote pro-growth, pro-business policies; provide incentives for Americans to grow businesses; or to slow the growth of entitlement programs.  In fact, President Obama appears to be diametrically opposed to making any of the difficult choices necessary to prevent the impending financial disastor.

In contrast, Republican nominee Mitt Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan, are proposing pro-growth, pro-business policies; incentives for people to grow businesses; and a revamping of entitlement programs for those 54 and younger so that these programs are available to future generations of Americans.

While many Americans see the choice in November between Democrats and Republicans, others see this election as a pivotal decision point in American history.  The fact is that if America continues down its current path in a second Obama term, it will never return to a free-market system of capitalism with limited federal government.  

Americans voted wisely in 1789 and set our country on a course that would allow it to dominate economically and militarily for over 200 years.  Are Americans just as wise today, or will they succumb to the appeal of government programs that allow them to have a mediocre standard of living while doing nothing?

We will find out on November 6.