Somebody Has To Pay

Now that the coronation is over, perhaps we can focus on what is happening around us. The government has become too big a force in our lives. Look around. The bailout of the financial industry has in effect nationalized the banking industry. Companies are lining up for "free" money. People are depending on government to "fix" things. What??? Try to find one example where government has fixed anything. How about where government has used public funds efficiently? Ronald Reagan used to say, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'" The financial industy's mess occurred because of government meddling. There are plenty of articles about it, but why do people think giving more control to the people who put us on our current path will somehow make it better? Is Medicare a good example of good, efficient use of taxpayer dollars? How about Social Security (the grandest Ponzi scheme in history)?

I have voted in the last six presidential elections, and in three my choice did not prevail. Two of those had horrible candidates at best, while the other four were marginal. I'll support whoever wins the election, including Obama, but not policies with which I may disagree. It seems the population centers of the country want more big government, but who pays for it? Government gives away money or spends it only by taking it forcibly from someone else. Someone has to pay. Just as bad, the treasury has borrowed all it can, and now just prints money, which just makes what little I have worth that much less.

The people who seem to gripe the most are those who don't even pay federal taxes. Their idea of paying taxes is of the federal withholding from each paycheck. They then file their 1040 to get it all back, though in their mind they think they paid taxes. In reality, they should change their exemptions to reduce the interest-free loan they are making to the federal government. And many get more back then they paid. I'm sorry, but if you "pay" $500 in federal taxes, and get a $5,000 tax return check after filing (yes, Earned Income Credit), you have no business complaining about how much you "pay" in federal taxes.

I have seen comments from people about how terrible the last eight years have been ("I have awoken fron an eight-year nightmare."). Okay, my worldview is different from everyone else. But a nightmare? I'd really like to hear a few examples of a nightmare, and then understand how one can directly attribute the cause to George Bush. Perhaps a military family can make a connection, but I just don't get it. I think there is a more direct connection to the Congress, to which I say, "Throw the bums out!" But the level of contempt for George Bush is ridiculous. He didn't veto anything until 2006. There were many pieces of legislation that I think should have been sent back, and most were spending related. Bush gave the big-government crowd who have now elected Obama just what they wanted - more big government. The media complained about the cost of the 2005 inauguration, yet yesterday's made the 2005 event look like a child's birthday party. Both are outrageous wastes of taxpayer money. The media double standard is sickening. What's wrong is wrong, regardless of whom or what party is responsible.

Where is The Constitution in this? Doesn't anyone care about it? I think there are too many people who haven't even read it, or understand it. The Federal government exceeds it's Constitutional authority on many things, because we allow it. I'm finished ranting.

So what now? People want more government. Somebody's got to pay.