The “Transformation” – 2014

Our Demonizer and Chief has the megalomaniacal gall to pronounce that the American people are fed up with Washington. Well, yes and that includes him.

Not only does Mr. Obama presume himself above the responsibilities of leadership, not only does he insist that the government knows what is best for us, he also presumes to tell us what we think.

The media’s love for this nonsense and their presumption of Mr. Obama’s credibility challenges the facts.

The reality of Mr. Obama’s “transformation” can be supported as nothing more than a complete disaster. Since Mr. Obama took office in 2009:

  • The poverty rate is almost 15% and has hovered around its all time peak over the past 4-5 years based on Census Bureau data since 1959. Almost 15% of Americans (about 46 million people) live in poverty.
  • African Americans are worse off under Mr. Obama. He has done nothing to improve their lives but instead further subsidizes them out of hope and opportunity.
  • US debt has increased from $9,000,000,000,000 to almost $17,000,000,000,000 and is budgeted at almost $20,000,000,000,000 by the time Mr. Obama is replaced.
  • Annual real economic growth has been less than 2%, limiting opportunity for those with lower incomes and skills.
  • The Federal Reserve’s manipulation of interest rates has penalized workers and savers while propping up risk assets, benefiting the most well off while constraining wealth creation for those with lower incomes and skills.
  • The Dodd/Frank law has given the government control over the private banking system, politicizing all banking services to the detriment of economic freedom needed to finance growth and create jobs.
  • Food stamps (SNAP) dependency has grown over 70%, from 28 million Americans to over 48 million, while the cost of food stamps has increased more than 100%, from $30 billion a year to over $75 billion.
  • Obamacare’s re-distributional realities coerce money from young, productive, and healthy citizens to subsidize health care for older, sicker citizens, will result in shortages of health care professionals and services leading to higher prices and rationing, and will put the government in charge of defining standards of care for all covered medical conditions. Yes, he lied. You can’t keep your doctor. You can’t keep your health plan. Health costs will increase. You will do what the government tells you to do.

The litany of disaster extends to other domestic realities as well as international affairs.

Having achieved power by promoting envy, resentment, dependency and a false concept of “justice” Mr. Obama and his progressive ideologues now must face the failure of their leadership and policy. The “transformation” that has been imposed upon us by our own government is one of greater unemployment, greater dependency, less opportunity, less hope, and less freedom.

Who among us can say that their children will be better off because of Mr. Obama and his supporters in Congress?

This is the question that will win elections in 2014.

Regards, Pete Weldon
americanstance.org

Reflecting on Freedom

Now as throughout history the world is full of those motivated to kill people who are not killing, to control people who are not controlling, and to impose values and behavior on people who are not imposing.

The people who are not killing, not controlling, and not imposing are those who yearn to be free, to live private lives as individuals free from the oppression of others, who accept responsibility for their own behavior and for the risks of life itself.

The constant existence of the killers, controllers, and imposers is exactly why freedom is never free.

The founding American principles are exceptional because they provide a workable framework for maintaining individual freedom; a decentralized republic with democratic process that checks and balances the application of political power. Any country or peoples who succeed at this course are truly exceptional as they will experience peace, opportunity, hope, and prosperity.

Survival of this framework depends on informed voters who prioritize their freedom above their personal stake in the power structure they vote to keep in office. Voters must see themselves as individuals and vote on principle if our freedoms are to survive.

Unfortunately, the behavior of our current President and his sympathizers and supporters demonstrates no respect for or interest in our individual freedoms. They are convinced of their moral authority to impose their policies and regulations no less than the Mullahs of Iran are convinced of their moral authority to impose Sharia Law. This is clearly evidenced in Presidential decrees of policies for which there is no law or for which the written law is in conflict. This is why the President refuses to negotiate anything with any in Congress who hold votes in conflict with his priorities. This is why his congressional leaders spew partisan rhetoric rather than work on policy solutions that reflect and respect individual freedom.

America has never been and will never be about the State. It’s greatest moments will always be about individual freedom and responsibility. Working together we can honor and achieve this purpose.

Regards, Pete Weldon
americanstance.org

Regulatory Dementors

I encourage you to get to know the story of Graig Zucker and “Buckyballs” (WSJ article of September 1, 2013).

Mr. Zucker and a partner discovered, promoted, and distributed Buckyballs until the US Government stopped him in the name of child safety, even though every household in the country has a drawer filled with thumbtacks and small nails. Here is an image of Buckyballs (more here):

buckyballs

The regulatory process has gone from cooperative regulation, to regulatory prosecution, to regulatory persecution of Mr. Zucker. After stopping the sale and distribution of “Buckeyballs” the Feds are now suing Mr. Zucker personally for the costs of the product recall they imposed (thereby causing his company to liquidate for lack of sales).

An entrepreneur discovers a product, finds an appropriate market for it, responds to public safety concerns in a prompt and responsible manner, and is then put out of business by the government and sued personally by the government.

The regulatory Dementors are upon us. Soulless creatures use bald political power to threaten, persecute, and destroy in the name of some social good that is arbitrarily and inconsistently regulated.

There is no longer a justification for taking business risk as your dollars and your efforts are subject to selective and arbitrary confiscation by regulatory authority, as well as personal liability for running your business in a legal manner.

Its so clearly time to elect people to Federal office who understand and believe in individual freedom and responsibility. You know, America.

Regards, Pete Weldon
americanstance.org

Documenting Mr. Obama’s ACA Lies

YouCantKeepYourHealthPlan

Mr. Obama promised me I could keep my health care plan.

That was an outright lie.

Above is the letter I just received from Aetna. It states, “You may stay in your current plan until 12/14/2014. At that time, you’ll need to enroll in a plan that includes all ACA requirements.” Not only can’t I keep my current health care plan but I am compelled to pay more for a plan dictated by the State (that’s another word for the Government).

Another quote from the Aetna letter: “The Afordable Care Act (ACA) is changing health insurance. But ACA is also increasing the cost of individual insurance.” But wait, those supporting passage of ACA claimed it would reduce health costs. Another lie.

Here is a definition of “corruption” – impairment of integrity, virtue, or moral principle.

Regards, Pete Weldon
americanstance.org