Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, I learned early on how to work.
I had a paper route for several years, riding my bike six or seven miles six days a week for $7 or $8. When in Boy Scouts, I, like the other Scouts, sold light bulbs, popcorn and first aid kits door to door, and our Troop mowed a cemetary so that we could raise enough money to attend the week-long summer camp. The motivation was pretty simple: Those who didn't work to raise the funds didn't attend summer camp. On Saturday mornings, while other children were watching cartoons, I worked with my father clearing brush from an eight-acre briar patch we turned into a farm on which we raised a few cattle.
Today, when I drive down to the four-way stop in my community on almost any given Saturday, I see a group of children and their parents standing at the intersection with their hands out. From soccer teams to cheerleading squads, they all have signs asking for the community to support their activities. Perhaps some will think I'm a grumpy old man, but I never give anything to these children being trained to be beggers. However, I will often stop at a car wash to support young people working to support their organization.
Oh, how things have changed in America. A country that once encouraged work and made one embarrassed when one didn't now appears to be doing exactly the opposite. Even from the leader of our country, our President, Barack Obama, we're receiving messaging that seems to downplay the role the role of personal responsibility such as hard work in the determination of one's success.
"There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me — because they want to give something back. They know they didn’t — look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something — there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there. If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet."
Some will argue that the President was talking about roads and bridges when he said "you didn't build that," but they are missing the most important point entirely. Instead of praising those who are successful for their hard work, intelligence and courage to start a business, the President downplays the role that those individual atrtributes played in their success, focusing instead on the "help" they received from government along the way and essentially providing excuses for those who aren't successful.
I recently led an activity for our company. I asked the employees to name the reasons why we were so successful during an economy that, generously, could be called bad. Interestly, not one employee cited "help from the government" as a reason for our success.
Maybe I am a grumpy old man, but I remember fondly when asking the government for help wasn't something that Americans wanted to do and it certainly wasn't encouraged. There was a stigma attached to receiving government help, and this was ingrained in our psyches. Someone receiving help was expected to do everything they could to accept this help for as short of a time as was necessary to turn their lives around.
Remember when the government-issued food stamps program actually issued "food stamps?" Well, today, those benefits are provided via a debit card so that those who receive them aren't embarrassed by handing the well-recognized food stamps to the cashier. To exacerbate the situation, the Obama Administration spent $3 million this year on advertising to encourage more people to apply for foodstamps and to make the program more socially acceptable. The budget for food stamps has more than doubled under this President, and he wants more people to sign up?
Remember when those on unemployment actually had to verify that they were looking for a job, providing the names of those companies and organizations contacted? Well, you don't have to do this anymore, as this would require someone to actually prove that they are looking for a job. I'm sure this stringent requirement was changed because some government bureaucrat thought it was demeaning for someone to actually look for a job while on unemployment.
Remember the highly-successful welfare reform instituted by President Bill Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress? The centerpiece of this program was that people actually had to transition to work. Millions moved from welfare to work under this program, which was one of the most successful government programs in the history of our country. Well, the Obama Administration recently gutted the requirements for this program, giving states the ability to replace work for such strenuous activities as participating in weight control programs or reading.
Sadly, if America doesn't reverse its course soon, we will soon be a nation with the majority of people not working. As the ranks of those on government programs grow ever larger and those who work become smaller, the few who continue to work will have to pay ever higher taxes in order to pay for the growing number who have come to expect their free, government check. This isn't sustainable. Although this dynamic creates more and more Americans prone to vote for Democrats, it will soon bankrupt our once great country and result in a standard of living for all Americans moving us closer to becoming a poor, third world country.
The Presidential Election in 2012 may be the most important decision point in our nation's history. November can't come soon enough.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The Voice of Reason: Obama Administration Opens Our Borders
While driving home from work yesterday, I heard a disturbing interview with border control agents on a local radio station. What I heard should make every American mad as hell.
According to the agents interviewed on the radio talk show, the Obama Administration has told border control agents tolak low any illegal alien to go free who says that he or she has graduated from high school or has received a GED. The other disturbing part of the interview is that one of the agents shared a story of an agent being attacked and injured by an illegal alien, but then being told by higher ups to let the person go because he said he had a high school diploma.
My first thought was that there is no way that our federal government has essentially opened our borders to any and all, as long as they say they have graduated from high school or have a GED, with no proof required. But then I did a little research using the internet, and I found these articles, among many, many others:
http://www.examiner.com/article/border-patrol-and-ice-representatives-sound-off-on-lenient-immigration-policy
http://www.local2544.org/
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2012/jul/27/picket-video-border-agents-say-dhs-tells-them-rele/
The more I read, the angrier I become. How in the world can our federal government essentially open our borders, using the words, "I have a high school diploma," instead of requiring documentation and verification, to allow someone to stay in this country legally?
President Obama's executive order allowing illegal immigrants to stay in this country legally under certain conditions is a farce. There is no verification required. Documentation isn't even required. Even those who have committed crimes here in this country, or have assulted border control agents, are allowed to stay in America, as long as they say they have graduated from high school or have earned a GED.
Immigration laws passed by our Congress and signed by a previous President are being ignored by our current President. If this President can completely ignore this law, he can ignore any law. I am flabbergasted, disillusioned, angry and disappointed, all at the same time. It's one thing for a President to decide on which parts of a law to focus enforcement, another to declare that certain people will be exempt from that enforcement, and yet another to essentially ignore the law altogether by giving anyone and all illegal immigrants a "get out of jail free" card by saying a few simple words.
I am even more convinced that this President must be voted out of office in November, if we have any chance of saving this country and our Democracy.
According to the agents interviewed on the radio talk show, the Obama Administration has told border control agents tolak low any illegal alien to go free who says that he or she has graduated from high school or has received a GED. The other disturbing part of the interview is that one of the agents shared a story of an agent being attacked and injured by an illegal alien, but then being told by higher ups to let the person go because he said he had a high school diploma.
My first thought was that there is no way that our federal government has essentially opened our borders to any and all, as long as they say they have graduated from high school or have a GED, with no proof required. But then I did a little research using the internet, and I found these articles, among many, many others:
http://www.examiner.com/article/border-patrol-and-ice-representatives-sound-off-on-lenient-immigration-policy
http://www.local2544.org/
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2012/jul/27/picket-video-border-agents-say-dhs-tells-them-rele/
The more I read, the angrier I become. How in the world can our federal government essentially open our borders, using the words, "I have a high school diploma," instead of requiring documentation and verification, to allow someone to stay in this country legally?
President Obama's executive order allowing illegal immigrants to stay in this country legally under certain conditions is a farce. There is no verification required. Documentation isn't even required. Even those who have committed crimes here in this country, or have assulted border control agents, are allowed to stay in America, as long as they say they have graduated from high school or have earned a GED.
Immigration laws passed by our Congress and signed by a previous President are being ignored by our current President. If this President can completely ignore this law, he can ignore any law. I am flabbergasted, disillusioned, angry and disappointed, all at the same time. It's one thing for a President to decide on which parts of a law to focus enforcement, another to declare that certain people will be exempt from that enforcement, and yet another to essentially ignore the law altogether by giving anyone and all illegal immigrants a "get out of jail free" card by saying a few simple words.
I am even more convinced that this President must be voted out of office in November, if we have any chance of saving this country and our Democracy.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
The Voice of Reason: President's Tax Increase Will Put More Americans Out of Work
"The last thing you want to do is raise taxes in the middle of a recession. Because that would just suck up, put more demand on the economy and put businesses in a further hole."
The President said this three years ago, but this year, an election year, the President apparently feels differently. He has made making high-income Americans pay their "fair share" a centerpiece of his campaign. The Democrat-controlled Senate voted on Wednesday to end the Bush-era tax cuts for couples earning over $250,000 a year or single earners making more than $200,000 per year.
I find it interesting that the dialogue in the news media is that no one wants taxes to increase for middle-income Americans, but at the same time Democrats and the President believe that the tax cuts for the rich should not continue. Has anyone else notice this subtle difference in semantics? Has anyone else noticed how the Democrats, President and the lamestream news media frame this issue? Why is it that not extending the Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class would be a tax increase, but extending the same law for affluent Americans would result in "tax cuts for the rich?"
This is class warfare, plain and simple, and it's despicable. The President opposes the extension of tax cuts for high-income Americans because he is using this issue for political fodder. Never mind that increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans will take away billions of dollars utilized for job creation. Never mind that unemployment remains at 8.2% and that the growth in our economy has slowed to a crawl. Never mind that even the nation's leading financial experts predict that increasing taxes on anyone now could be devastating to an already-struggling economy.
The nationally-respected accounting firm of Ernst and Young issued released a study just this week indicating that increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans, as the President and the Democrats are proposing to do, would result in a reduction of nearly three-quarters of a million jobs.
http://blog.heritage.org/2012/07/18/ernst-and-young-obamas-tax-increase-would-kill-710000-jobs/ Let me repeat those numbers. Raising taxes on top earning Americans will result in a reduction of an additional 710,000 jobs in America. at a time we desperately need jobs.
The truth about this issue is that it isn't about fixing the economy or putting Americans back to work. This issue isn't even about trying to drive down the deficit, because the President's proposed budget over the next several years increases our deficit significantly. This issue is about one thing -- a President using every political trick possible as he works feverously to be reelected, even if it further slows the economy and leaves more Americans jobless.
Shame on you, Mr. President. Shame on you.
-- President Barack Obama, 2009
The President said this three years ago, but this year, an election year, the President apparently feels differently. He has made making high-income Americans pay their "fair share" a centerpiece of his campaign. The Democrat-controlled Senate voted on Wednesday to end the Bush-era tax cuts for couples earning over $250,000 a year or single earners making more than $200,000 per year.
I find it interesting that the dialogue in the news media is that no one wants taxes to increase for middle-income Americans, but at the same time Democrats and the President believe that the tax cuts for the rich should not continue. Has anyone else notice this subtle difference in semantics? Has anyone else noticed how the Democrats, President and the lamestream news media frame this issue? Why is it that not extending the Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class would be a tax increase, but extending the same law for affluent Americans would result in "tax cuts for the rich?"
This is class warfare, plain and simple, and it's despicable. The President opposes the extension of tax cuts for high-income Americans because he is using this issue for political fodder. Never mind that increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans will take away billions of dollars utilized for job creation. Never mind that unemployment remains at 8.2% and that the growth in our economy has slowed to a crawl. Never mind that even the nation's leading financial experts predict that increasing taxes on anyone now could be devastating to an already-struggling economy.
The nationally-respected accounting firm of Ernst and Young issued released a study just this week indicating that increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans, as the President and the Democrats are proposing to do, would result in a reduction of nearly three-quarters of a million jobs.
http://blog.heritage.org/2012/07/18/ernst-and-young-obamas-tax-increase-would-kill-710000-jobs/ Let me repeat those numbers. Raising taxes on top earning Americans will result in a reduction of an additional 710,000 jobs in America. at a time we desperately need jobs.
The truth about this issue is that it isn't about fixing the economy or putting Americans back to work. This issue isn't even about trying to drive down the deficit, because the President's proposed budget over the next several years increases our deficit significantly. This issue is about one thing -- a President using every political trick possible as he works feverously to be reelected, even if it further slows the economy and leaves more Americans jobless.
Shame on you, Mr. President. Shame on you.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
The Voice of Reason: Using the Office for Political Gainn
One of the regular readers of my blog, who happens to be a friend, asked me how President Obama compares to his predecessor in terms of playing rounds of golf.
Actually, President George W. Bush gave up playing golf in 2003 out of respect for our troops. "I feel I owe it to the families to be as -- to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/13/AR2008051302783.html
President Obama recently played his 100th round of golf in three and a half years, while the country is fighting one war and recently pulled troops out of another.
Whether you liked or hated the policies of President Bush, he appears to be a man who displayed great respect for the office, in contrast to his successor.
This week, I read about another interesting contrast between the two Presidents. It seems that our current President recently used the West Wing of the White House to film a campaign ad, while President Bush decided that it would belittle the office by using the "working" part of the executive mansion for political purposes.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/obama-ad-filmed-west-wing/story?id=16847014
But that's not the only way that the Obama Administration has been accused of using the Office of the Presidency to increase President Obama's chances of being reelected.
Some now, including California Senator Diane Feinstein have accused the White House of leaking classified information in an attempt to make the President improve his image during an election year. While no one has claimed that it was the President himself who decided to release the information, it strongly appears that someone high up in the White House decided that he or she would help the President enhance his image as a tough Commander in Chief. While Senator Feinstin has "walked back" her comments a bit, it's clear that she believes someone in the White House is to blame.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/democratic-senators-comments-on-national-security-leaks-emerge-as-campaign-issue-3/
There seems to be little if any difference between Barack Obama the candidate and Barack Obama the President. Given the number of fundraisers he's attended in the past three and a half years, more than his past five predecessors combined, it seems that he is more Campaigner in Chief than Commander in Chief.
Perhaps that's why our economy is so horrific. Just as Senator Obama began running for President almost as soon as he was elected, it now appears that President Obama has been in campaign mode since the day he was inaugurated.
***
While listening to talk radio, a caller provided a great reason why taxes on the wealthiest Americans should not be raised, especially during a time we desperately need to create more jobs. He said, "When was the last time you heard of someone going to a poor or middle-income person asking for a job?"
His point was that money taken from these "wealth creators" is money they use to hire people.
Great point.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The Voice of Reason: Debunking Liberals' View of Conservatives
From members of the elite news media to the elite of Hollywood and every far-left Democrat in between, liberals in America have a stilted view of conservatives.
They don't understand us and don't want to try to understand us. They just can't seem to comprehend that more Americans are like us than them. They think that every American should think as they think, and if they don't, they believe that there is something wrong with their moral make up. After all, many liberals believe, they have the moral high ground.
My purpose today is to debunk every belief liberals have about conservatives, one belief at a time. While I know that my feelings certainly aren't representative of every conservative, I happen to think that I'm pretty much a middle-of-the-road conservative American in terms of my views. Let's take a look at what liberals believe and what the reality is:
They believe we are all rich
No, we're not all affluent, but I happen to believe that the vast majority of us aspire to succeed. Like most conservatives, I certainly wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, as neither one of my parents graduated from high school. We are teachers, truck drivers, business owners, professionals and laborers. We are pastors, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, college students and retired people. What connects us is that we believe that anyone can succeed in America if we work harder and work smarter.
They believe we hate poor people
No, we don't hate poor people, but we believe that most government programs create dependency, not pathways to success. Sure, there should be programs to support those who can't support themselves and those facing an emergency situation, but we also believe that that government programs should be designed to move the vast majority of people to self-sufficiency, not to a lifetime of support from the government and taxpayers. We also believe that local charities do a better job of determining who truly needs help, and we generously support those local charities.
They believe we want dirty air and dirty water
The truth is that we believe in protecting the environment. We are concerned about the quality of our air and water, but we also believe that environmental regulations based on ideology that attempt to "crucify" entire industries are flat out wrong. Yes, we want government to encourage clean energy through research grants, but we believe that the marketplace, not the federal government, can best determine when new technologies are economically feasible. We believe that we should do everything possible to take advantage of our abundant domestic energy resources -- coal, oil and natural gas -- using the most environmentally-friendly methods to extract those resources. We want low-cost energy so that we can remain competitive in the global marketplace and our standard of living does not decline because of rising energy costs taking more of our paychecks.
They believe many of us are Bible-thumpers who "cling to their guns"
Yes, many of us go to church every Sunday, and the vast majority of us believe strongly in the Second Amendment. We happen to believe that there's nothing wrong with either. America was and still is a Christian nation, and we're proud of that heritage, although we don't believe in discrminating against those who believe differently. The "Separation Between Church and State" outlined in the First Amendment was designed to keep the government out of the church, not the other way around.
They believe we want to hold down the poor and the middle class
Nothing could be further from the truth. We believe that any American can increase his or her income through hard work and innovation. We believe that the best way to help Americans move up in class is for our country to have a strong economy that provides all Americans with good-paying jobs and the opportunity to save. We want the government to encourage more entrepreneurs, not discourage them through burdensome and ridiculous government regulations. Nothing proves the genius of our American system more than when someone of limited means becomes very successful. It happens every day, and it makes conservatives very happy.
They believe that we don't pay our "fair share" in taxes
We're getting tired of this "class warfare" argument, because the facts show that the more you earn in America, the more you pay in taxes. Nearly half of all Americans pay no income taxes whatsoever, while the top earners pay a disproportionate percentage of income taxes compared to their incomes. Sure, there are corporations and high-income Americans who pay little or no taxes, but they are the exceptions, not the rule. We believe in closing the loopoles so that those rare exceptions can be eliminated, but we also believe that the Capital Gains Tax should continue to be low in order to encourage investments to help America grow.
They believe we want to eliminate all entitlement programs
No, Representative Paul Ryan does not want to push grandma over a cliff. We simply look at the numbers and realize that if entitlement programs continue at their current pace, there will not be Social Security, Medicare or Medicare for future generations of Americans. We believe that ignoring the impending collapse of these programs caused by rising costs and our skyrocketing debt is irresponsible and not being truthful with the American people. We would rather address these challenges now, than wait until significant changes are necessary to keep these programs solvent.
They believe we hate gay people and African-Americans
This is probably the liberal belief that angers me the most. No, we don't hate gay people, and no, we don't hate black people. Although some conservatives may be against gay marriage because of religious reasons, a lot of us believe that this issue is a states' right issue and not an issue the federal government should decide. I happen to have a number of gay friends, a number of black friends, and I also have worked tirelessly throughout my career to fight discrimination against people of color. I am most proud of my work developing programs that helped African-American students in the rural south have opportunities to continue and expand their education. We happen to believe that the Democratic Party has made many African-Americans dependent on government programs, instead of helping them to succeed. We believe that every American, irregardless of sexual orientation or skin color, should have an equal opportunity to succeed.
They believe we hate government
This one belief comes closest to being the truth. We believe in limited government because government has never done anything really well, except for national defense. We believe that government is often the problem, not the solution. We also believe that government should streamline regulations so that more people can start businesses, more Americans can become wealthy and more businesses can thrive. No, we don't "hate" government, but we don't like it much.
I hope that I've been able to debunk most of the beliefs held by the majority of liberals. Even if one liberal reads this blog, looks at conservatives in a different light and considers voting for Mitt Romney, then I have succeeded.
They don't understand us and don't want to try to understand us. They just can't seem to comprehend that more Americans are like us than them. They think that every American should think as they think, and if they don't, they believe that there is something wrong with their moral make up. After all, many liberals believe, they have the moral high ground.
My purpose today is to debunk every belief liberals have about conservatives, one belief at a time. While I know that my feelings certainly aren't representative of every conservative, I happen to think that I'm pretty much a middle-of-the-road conservative American in terms of my views. Let's take a look at what liberals believe and what the reality is:
They believe we are all rich
No, we're not all affluent, but I happen to believe that the vast majority of us aspire to succeed. Like most conservatives, I certainly wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, as neither one of my parents graduated from high school. We are teachers, truck drivers, business owners, professionals and laborers. We are pastors, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, college students and retired people. What connects us is that we believe that anyone can succeed in America if we work harder and work smarter.
They believe we hate poor people
No, we don't hate poor people, but we believe that most government programs create dependency, not pathways to success. Sure, there should be programs to support those who can't support themselves and those facing an emergency situation, but we also believe that that government programs should be designed to move the vast majority of people to self-sufficiency, not to a lifetime of support from the government and taxpayers. We also believe that local charities do a better job of determining who truly needs help, and we generously support those local charities.
They believe we want dirty air and dirty water
The truth is that we believe in protecting the environment. We are concerned about the quality of our air and water, but we also believe that environmental regulations based on ideology that attempt to "crucify" entire industries are flat out wrong. Yes, we want government to encourage clean energy through research grants, but we believe that the marketplace, not the federal government, can best determine when new technologies are economically feasible. We believe that we should do everything possible to take advantage of our abundant domestic energy resources -- coal, oil and natural gas -- using the most environmentally-friendly methods to extract those resources. We want low-cost energy so that we can remain competitive in the global marketplace and our standard of living does not decline because of rising energy costs taking more of our paychecks.
They believe many of us are Bible-thumpers who "cling to their guns"
Yes, many of us go to church every Sunday, and the vast majority of us believe strongly in the Second Amendment. We happen to believe that there's nothing wrong with either. America was and still is a Christian nation, and we're proud of that heritage, although we don't believe in discrminating against those who believe differently. The "Separation Between Church and State" outlined in the First Amendment was designed to keep the government out of the church, not the other way around.
They believe we want to hold down the poor and the middle class
Nothing could be further from the truth. We believe that any American can increase his or her income through hard work and innovation. We believe that the best way to help Americans move up in class is for our country to have a strong economy that provides all Americans with good-paying jobs and the opportunity to save. We want the government to encourage more entrepreneurs, not discourage them through burdensome and ridiculous government regulations. Nothing proves the genius of our American system more than when someone of limited means becomes very successful. It happens every day, and it makes conservatives very happy.
They believe that we don't pay our "fair share" in taxes
We're getting tired of this "class warfare" argument, because the facts show that the more you earn in America, the more you pay in taxes. Nearly half of all Americans pay no income taxes whatsoever, while the top earners pay a disproportionate percentage of income taxes compared to their incomes. Sure, there are corporations and high-income Americans who pay little or no taxes, but they are the exceptions, not the rule. We believe in closing the loopoles so that those rare exceptions can be eliminated, but we also believe that the Capital Gains Tax should continue to be low in order to encourage investments to help America grow.
They believe we want to eliminate all entitlement programs
No, Representative Paul Ryan does not want to push grandma over a cliff. We simply look at the numbers and realize that if entitlement programs continue at their current pace, there will not be Social Security, Medicare or Medicare for future generations of Americans. We believe that ignoring the impending collapse of these programs caused by rising costs and our skyrocketing debt is irresponsible and not being truthful with the American people. We would rather address these challenges now, than wait until significant changes are necessary to keep these programs solvent.
They believe we hate gay people and African-Americans
This is probably the liberal belief that angers me the most. No, we don't hate gay people, and no, we don't hate black people. Although some conservatives may be against gay marriage because of religious reasons, a lot of us believe that this issue is a states' right issue and not an issue the federal government should decide. I happen to have a number of gay friends, a number of black friends, and I also have worked tirelessly throughout my career to fight discrimination against people of color. I am most proud of my work developing programs that helped African-American students in the rural south have opportunities to continue and expand their education. We happen to believe that the Democratic Party has made many African-Americans dependent on government programs, instead of helping them to succeed. We believe that every American, irregardless of sexual orientation or skin color, should have an equal opportunity to succeed.
They believe we hate government
This one belief comes closest to being the truth. We believe in limited government because government has never done anything really well, except for national defense. We believe that government is often the problem, not the solution. We also believe that government should streamline regulations so that more people can start businesses, more Americans can become wealthy and more businesses can thrive. No, we don't "hate" government, but we don't like it much.
I hope that I've been able to debunk most of the beliefs held by the majority of liberals. Even if one liberal reads this blog, looks at conservatives in a different light and considers voting for Mitt Romney, then I have succeeded.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
The Voice of Reason: What Has Happened to the America I Love?
The change had been gradual over several decades until 2009, when President Barack Obama took office and promised to "fundamentally transform" America.
He's changed it all right. America has changed from a nation of achievers to a country of whiners with their hands out, expecting the government to support them. It's not all his fault, of course, but he quickened the pace of change from a slow crawl to warp speed, all in just three and a half years.
One doesn't have to look any further than the June jobs report. In June, more people were added to the rolls of disability than got jobs.
Want another example? Under Obama's leadership our food stamps budget has increased by 110%. In other words, the budget has more than doubled.
But that's not good enough for the Obama Administration. They've spent $3 million on radio advertising to encourage even more people to sign up for food stamps. This week, we also learned that the Obama Administration has been working with the Mexican government to increase participation among Mexicans who are living or working in the United States.
How about another example? Under our President's leadership and the leadership of a Democratically-controlled Congress, unemployment benefits were extended to 99 weeks, just five weeks short of two full years. And if you haven't received unemployment benefits for a few decades, you would be suprised to learn how easy it is to continue receiving benefits. Gone are the days of proving that you actually applied for jobs in order to continue receiving benefits.
As of 2010, nearly one out of every two Americans received some sort of assistance or support from the federal goverment, compared to one in four in 2008.
http://lonelyconservative.com/2011/10/great-news-nearly-half-of-americans-receive-some-form-of-government-assistance/
http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/07/news/economy/government_assistance/index.htm
As one see, it's almost as if our federal government has done everything possible to encourage people not to work.
Want another example of this backward thinking? Take a single mother with two kids and earning $29,000 per year. Let's say that the mother is offered a job earning $69,000 per year, but the job is more demanding. Surely, she would want to take the higher-paying job, wouldn't she, as she would more than double her salary?
Actually, she might want to stay where she is. As the example in the link shows, the single mother has a financial disincentive to take the better-paying job, because she would lose benefits from the federal government that would not be made up with the higher salary.
http://www.aei-ideas.org/2012/07/julias-mother-why-a-single-mom-is-better-off-on-welfare-than-taking-a-69000-a-year-job/
If the President's goal were to create a society of Americans who rely on the federal government, he's succeeded like no other President before him.
The problem is that pretty soon there will be more people receiving government assistance than those working and paying taxes to support them. At that point, America will become a socialist state of mediocrity and the country we love will be long gone.
The election in November can't come soon enough.
He's changed it all right. America has changed from a nation of achievers to a country of whiners with their hands out, expecting the government to support them. It's not all his fault, of course, but he quickened the pace of change from a slow crawl to warp speed, all in just three and a half years.
One doesn't have to look any further than the June jobs report. In June, more people were added to the rolls of disability than got jobs.
Want another example? Under Obama's leadership our food stamps budget has increased by 110%. In other words, the budget has more than doubled.
But that's not good enough for the Obama Administration. They've spent $3 million on radio advertising to encourage even more people to sign up for food stamps. This week, we also learned that the Obama Administration has been working with the Mexican government to increase participation among Mexicans who are living or working in the United States.
How about another example? Under our President's leadership and the leadership of a Democratically-controlled Congress, unemployment benefits were extended to 99 weeks, just five weeks short of two full years. And if you haven't received unemployment benefits for a few decades, you would be suprised to learn how easy it is to continue receiving benefits. Gone are the days of proving that you actually applied for jobs in order to continue receiving benefits.
As of 2010, nearly one out of every two Americans received some sort of assistance or support from the federal goverment, compared to one in four in 2008.
http://lonelyconservative.com/2011/10/great-news-nearly-half-of-americans-receive-some-form-of-government-assistance/
http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/07/news/economy/government_assistance/index.htm
As one see, it's almost as if our federal government has done everything possible to encourage people not to work.
Want another example of this backward thinking? Take a single mother with two kids and earning $29,000 per year. Let's say that the mother is offered a job earning $69,000 per year, but the job is more demanding. Surely, she would want to take the higher-paying job, wouldn't she, as she would more than double her salary?
Actually, she might want to stay where she is. As the example in the link shows, the single mother has a financial disincentive to take the better-paying job, because she would lose benefits from the federal government that would not be made up with the higher salary.
http://www.aei-ideas.org/2012/07/julias-mother-why-a-single-mom-is-better-off-on-welfare-than-taking-a-69000-a-year-job/
If the President's goal were to create a society of Americans who rely on the federal government, he's succeeded like no other President before him.
The problem is that pretty soon there will be more people receiving government assistance than those working and paying taxes to support them. At that point, America will become a socialist state of mediocrity and the country we love will be long gone.
The election in November can't come soon enough.
Friday, July 20, 2012
The Voice of Reason: Golfer, Vacationer or Bloviator in Chief?
The President of the United States is our nation's "Commander in Chief."
Sadly, our current President seems more intent on golfing, vacationing, campaigning, hearing his own voice, lying, blaming anyone and anything but himself, wasting our hard-earned tax dollars, saying things that divide our country and using the word "I" than actually commanding anything. While millions of Americans are out of work, underemployed or have quit looking for a job, and our country dives into debt faster than ever before in our nation's history, our President seems oblivious to the enormous challenges facing our country on the homefront.
So, if our President isn't acting like a Commander in Chief, of what is he our "Chief?"
Please take the survey at the bottom of the page. Scroll down on the survey to see all of the possible answers and results. Click "Done" to enter your answer.
Golfer in Chief
Our President recently completed his 100th round of golf in the three and a half years he's been in office.
http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2012/06/05/obamas-presidential-record-3-years-100-rounds-of-golf/
http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2012/06/17/obama-plays-golf-100th-time-presidency/
Vacationer in Chief
The Obama family has taken 16 vacations in 42 months, costing taxpayers millions.
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/obama-vacation-taxpayer-cost/2012/07/19/id/445913
Campaigner in Chief
Through July 9, our President had attended 174 fundraisers since he began his reelection campaign last year, more than his past five predecessors combined. http://www.mercurynews.com/presidentelect/ci_21040675/obama-continues-trail-romney-fundraising
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/238951.html
Bloviator in Chief
The President seemingly comments on anything and everything, almost as if he loves hearing his own voice.
http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com/2011/01/great-bloviator.html
Liar in Chief
What campaign promise hasn't our President broken? He promised to close Gitmo, he told Americans he wouldn't raise taxes on anyone earning less than $250,000 and he promised to cut our debt in half, just to name three of his whoppers.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/rulings/promise-broken/
Blamer in Chief
Our President has blamed his predecessor, George W. Bush, the Japanese tsunami, ATMs, automation and the Arab Spring four our stagnate economy. After three and a half years in office, he still can't bring himself to take any responsibility for an economy that is clearly stuck in park.
http://townhall.com/video/george-will-obama-blames-everyone-but-james-madison-for-economy
Debtor in Chief
Under President Obama's leadership, our national debt has increased by 50%.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57400369-503544/national-debt-has-increased-more-under-obama-than-under-bush/
Divider in Chief
No other President in our country's history has tried to promote class warfare as much as our current President. "Tax the Rich," is seemingly his campaign platform and he continues to talk about how wealthy Americans should pay their "fair share" at the same time that nearly 50% of Americans pay no federal income tax at all.
http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/its-free-blog/2012/jul/20/opinion-obama-class-warrior-over-you-didnt-build/
"Me" in Chief
Has anyone else noticed how many times our President uses the word, "I?" It seems that every speech he gives is peppered with "I did this," or "I'll do this." When Osama bin Laden was killed, you would have thought that our President pulled the trigger himself, given the number of times he's talked about how "I" made the "tough call" to kill the terrorist.
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/i-me-obama-uses-first-person-pronoun-117-times-1-speech
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2137636/Osama-bin-Laden-death-SEALs-slam-Obama-using-ammunition-bid-credit.html
Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.
Sadly, our current President seems more intent on golfing, vacationing, campaigning, hearing his own voice, lying, blaming anyone and anything but himself, wasting our hard-earned tax dollars, saying things that divide our country and using the word "I" than actually commanding anything. While millions of Americans are out of work, underemployed or have quit looking for a job, and our country dives into debt faster than ever before in our nation's history, our President seems oblivious to the enormous challenges facing our country on the homefront.
So, if our President isn't acting like a Commander in Chief, of what is he our "Chief?"
Please take the survey at the bottom of the page. Scroll down on the survey to see all of the possible answers and results. Click "Done" to enter your answer.
Golfer in Chief
Our President recently completed his 100th round of golf in the three and a half years he's been in office.
http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2012/06/05/obamas-presidential-record-3-years-100-rounds-of-golf/
http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2012/06/17/obama-plays-golf-100th-time-presidency/
Vacationer in Chief
The Obama family has taken 16 vacations in 42 months, costing taxpayers millions.
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/obama-vacation-taxpayer-cost/2012/07/19/id/445913
Campaigner in Chief
Through July 9, our President had attended 174 fundraisers since he began his reelection campaign last year, more than his past five predecessors combined. http://www.mercurynews.com/presidentelect/ci_21040675/obama-continues-trail-romney-fundraising
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/238951.html
Bloviator in Chief
The President seemingly comments on anything and everything, almost as if he loves hearing his own voice.
http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com/2011/01/great-bloviator.html
Liar in Chief
What campaign promise hasn't our President broken? He promised to close Gitmo, he told Americans he wouldn't raise taxes on anyone earning less than $250,000 and he promised to cut our debt in half, just to name three of his whoppers.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/rulings/promise-broken/
Blamer in Chief
Our President has blamed his predecessor, George W. Bush, the Japanese tsunami, ATMs, automation and the Arab Spring four our stagnate economy. After three and a half years in office, he still can't bring himself to take any responsibility for an economy that is clearly stuck in park.
http://townhall.com/video/george-will-obama-blames-everyone-but-james-madison-for-economy
Debtor in Chief
Under President Obama's leadership, our national debt has increased by 50%.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57400369-503544/national-debt-has-increased-more-under-obama-than-under-bush/
Divider in Chief
No other President in our country's history has tried to promote class warfare as much as our current President. "Tax the Rich," is seemingly his campaign platform and he continues to talk about how wealthy Americans should pay their "fair share" at the same time that nearly 50% of Americans pay no federal income tax at all.
http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/its-free-blog/2012/jul/20/opinion-obama-class-warrior-over-you-didnt-build/
"Me" in Chief
Has anyone else noticed how many times our President uses the word, "I?" It seems that every speech he gives is peppered with "I did this," or "I'll do this." When Osama bin Laden was killed, you would have thought that our President pulled the trigger himself, given the number of times he's talked about how "I" made the "tough call" to kill the terrorist.
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/i-me-obama-uses-first-person-pronoun-117-times-1-speech
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2137636/Osama-bin-Laden-death-SEALs-slam-Obama-using-ammunition-bid-credit.html
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