Tag: Medicare

Decision Time in America – Which Future do You Want?

G’Day!

On November 6 we will face an election that will decide our nation’s course for many years. This election will be the most important election in our lives and will decide not only our immediate future but also the future for our children and grandchildren. After 3 ½ years of the Obama Administration, the Senate Democrats, and over a year of campaigning, our choices have never been more clear. At stake is the success or failure of our economy, the relationship between our government and ourselves, federal fiscal and debt solvency, taxation levels, America’s role in the world, and the legacy we are endowing to future generations.

The key issue we must face is which Presidential Candidate and political party offers the best opportunity for economic & job growth, wealth creation, supportable social safety nets & entitlements, sustainable National Debt, and a higher standard of living for the American people. It is vital that each of us take the time and make the effort to understand the potential consequences for our culture, our freedoms, and the potential survival of our country from these two widely different visions of government’s role in our society and vote accordingly.

Choice 1

Fundamentally, Romney/Ryan and the Republican Party support smaller government, free market capitalism, a strong national security, and individual liberty. They believe in the Constitution as written by the Founding Fathers, individual & business freedoms, private property rights, sound fiscal and monetary policies, lower taxes for business and individuals, a government limited to the powers granted in the Constitution, and equality of opportunities for all citizens.

Specifically in this election, Romney/Ryan and Republicans support overturning government run Obamacare, which significantly increases healthcare costs, adds central bureaucratic control over healthcare, and erodes our freedom of choice in the doctor/patient relationship. They support overturning the Dodd-Frank financial legislation, which has stagnated our financial industry and economic growth and adds layers of still to be written rules and regulations and additional costs over banking. As protection from mounting problems in the Middle East, Romney/Ryan and Republicans support the construction of the Keystone Pipeline and the opening of public lands and offshore exploration for expanding and achieving North American energy independence.

Republicans further believe in a clear and resolute Foreign Policy supported by a strong economy and military and free trade with other nations. They believe that a reasonable but not unlimited social safety net is desirable for those truly in need and welfare as a temporary situation with the objective of being a transition to independence. Romney/Ryan advocate major tax reform by lowering the rates and broadening the base for individuals and businesses in order to promote economic growth. They further advocate major entitlement reform to bring the Federal Budget into balance, while insuring that Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will be sustainable for future generations.

Regarding the economy, Republicans believe that prosperity and job growth is derived from entrepreneurial business activity free from excessive government interference and is advanced by minimizing regulations, having lower taxes, and maximizing freedoms and opportunities. Individual and business success is praised, honored, and rewarded. Free markets determine winners and losers and wealth is distributed based on objective “achievement” through persistence, intelligence, and hard work.

Choice 2

Primarily, Obama/Biden and the Democrat Party support bigger (unlimited?) government, centrally planned European-style neo-socialism, reduced national defense, and bureaucratic control of individual and business freedoms. They believe in a “living” Constitution to be interpreted and modified by the judicial system as desired, control over private property use, and unsustainable fiscal policy and National Debt. They advocate open-ended entitlements, welfare, and government spending, higher taxes on businesses and individuals but especially the successful “rich”, and forced wealth transfer to achieve “fairness”. Opportunities for success (or failure) will be largely determined by central government administrators.

Specifically in this election, Obama/Biden and Democrats approve of and are committed to retaining government run Obamacare and Dodd-Frank financial legislation. They have no practical national energy plan and are against the Keystone Pipeline, offshore exploration, and expansion of fossil fuel development on public land. As is well documented, Obama currently favors “Green Energy” as the alternative to fossil fuels and, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), has used billions of taxpayer money to subsidize and support his belief. Through the EPA and DOE, The Obama Administration is waging a “War on Coal”, which is preventing the country from exploiting a cheap and plentiful fuel source and will result in the loss of thousands of jobs in the Coal Industry. All of this makes America weaker and more dependent on foreign energy from the troubled Middle East Area.

For nearly four years Obama has followed a Foreign Policy of appeasement, apology, and withdrawal emphasized by planned reductions in the military and controlled trade with other nations. Obama and Democrats believe in regulated and even hostile control over businesses and the use of Administrative Executive Power (especially EPA, DOE, Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), and Department of Labor (DOL)) as desired to accomplish this. They believe in and have encouraged entitlement expansion and welfare dependency supported by a $6 Trillion increase in the National Debt in four years.

Obama/Biden and Democrats believe that economic and job growth is derived from central government planning not free markets, high taxes on successful individuals & companies, and taxpayer funding through grants and subsidies to bureaucratically selected companies and industries. Individual and business success is envied, derided, and penalized through regulations and wealth transfer. The government determines winners and losers based on administrative subjectivity and wealth is redistributed based on an arbitrary determination of “fairness”.

For months we have heard impressive speeches from our President promising more of the same “Hope and Change” supported by increasing government restrictions (Obamacare, Dodd-Frank, the EPA, the DOE, etc.), unsustainable entitlements, higher taxes on the “Rich”, and ballooning National Debt. But no volume of skillful oratory by the President can disguise the fact that Obama and the Democrats have no new ideas for the next four years and Romney/Ryan and the Republicans do. Romney has articulated clearly his 5-Point Plan to get America back on track to a prosperous growing economy with job opportunities for those who want to work: 1) Energy Independence, 2) Free Trade, 3) a Balanced Budget, 4) Improved Education, and 5) Tax Reform to support Small Businesses. While no one party or individual is perfect or will solve all problems we must select the alternative that provides our best opportunity to save our country from financial disaster and economic chaos that uncontrolled government deficits represent. The survival of our great nation depends on making the right choice.

OK, it’s decision time! Which future do you want? Please take the time and make the effort to study the alternatives, the potential outcomes from each, consider what is at stake for yourself, your children, and our great country, and vote wisely. The choice will be yours on November 6th.

The Old Guy PhD

The November Election – A National Intelligence Test for America!

G’Day!

On November 6, 2012 Americans will have the most important opportunity in our lifetimes to determine the future course for our great country. At stake is nothing less than the fiscal survival of our currency, our individual freedoms, and our nation. Obama’s $1.3 Trillion annual deficits, the $16 Trillion National Debt, and our expanding entitlement programs are totally out of control. They will eventually destroy our country if they are not corrected. For important information about President Obama’s background and possible agenda, which have not been reported in the liberal media, I recommend that all voters regardless of political affiliation see the factual and unbiased documentary, “2016: Obama’s America”. This highly successful film is based on a NY Times Bestseller by Dinesh D’Souza and co-produced by Gerald R. Molen, who produced “Schindler’s List”. Before you vote, think very seriously and very deeply about Obama’s agenda, the policy alternatives presented by both parties, and their implications for the future of our children, ourselves, and America. Never in recent history has the intelligence and participation of American citizens been more crucial to our future.

President Obama in his Acceptance Speech at the DNC said, “This election is the clearest choice between two different visions for America.” ABSOLUTELY TRUE! At that same convention former President Bill Clinton regarding fixing the National Debt said, “It’s Arithmetic!” In the 1992 campaign Clinton also said, “It’s the Economy, Stupid!” Clinton is also right (no pun intended, but appropriate)! Unfortunately for America, the mistakes are that Obama and the Democrats are wrong with their “Vision”, wrong in their ability to do “Arithmetic”, and wrong in their performance on the “Economy”. The Democrats want to make this election about personality, misinformation, & blame of others for failure. Republicans want the election to be about rational policies, truth, and solutions. Obama and the Democrats, supported by a biased liberal media, are counting on the “Middle Class” to be too stupid to realize that they are being manipulated by words not action. Michael Knox Beran, author and contributing editor of City Journal, said, “A campaign based on so little comes perilously close to being an exercise in self-pity and a study in the very nearly pathological egotism of a man afraid to lose.”

This election IS the clearest choice between two different visions for America, which I have identified as Republican (R) and Democrat (D) in the following comparisons. Ignoring personality, as we should, this election is a clear choice between sound fiscal policy (R) vs. unsustainable fiscal policy (D), less government (R) vs. more government (D), more individual and business freedom (R) vs. less individual and business freedom (D), lower taxes (R) vs. higher taxes (D), free market capitalism (R) vs. centrally controlled neo-socialism (D), stronger national defense (R) vs. weakened national defense (D), private doctor-based healthcare (R) vs. central government mandated healthcare (D), strong foreign policy (R) vs. weak and apologetic foreign policy, and, perhaps most importantly, more support for the US Constitution (R) vs. less support for the US Constitution (D). These are the real issues we will be voting for or against in November. Do not make the mistake of letting the soaring rhetoric and a prejudiced liberal media systematically brainwash and deceive you into failing to think for yourself and to vote for what is right for the country.

The Democrats have tried hard to use slogans that imply that they alone care for the American people. Really? Can anyone NOT believe that both parties want everyone to have, “a fair shot”, “get a fair share”, and “play by the same rules” (see “Obammunism-What is ‘Fair’”)? Does anyone really think that Romney & Ryan are anti-women, anti-poor, anti-elderly, or anti-immigration? Can anyone seriously believe that Republicans will “end Medicare as we know it”, “throw grandma off the cliff”, or raise taxes on the “Middle Class”, when both Romney and Ryan categorically deny this. Can any intelligent person believe that a choice to support the overwhelming success of individual freedoms and free market capitalism vs. the historical and current failures in Europe of centrally planned socialism represent a “return to the failed policies of the past”? Can any thinking person believe that Obama’s “tax the rich and spend policy” will solve unsustainable entitlements, a $1.3 Trillion annual deficit, and the $16 Trillion National Debt Crisis? Does anyone believe that Democrats (other than Clinton) can do Math? As Clint Eastwood said at the RNC, “When someone doesn’t do the job we’ve got to let them go!” We will have our chance to “let them go” in November.

I believe that both Obama and Romney are essentially good men, as are Biden and Ryan. Many of the objectives for both parties overlap. Both want job creation, economic growth, and equal opportunities for all Americans. In addition, Romney/Ryan and the Republicans support The Constitution, private property rights, a realistic job-creating energy proposal, private doctor/patient-based healthcare, and actually have a plan to fix the Federal Deficit, solve the National Debt crisis, and balance the Federal Budget. The differences are in the communications, the vision and the policies.

This election IS a National Intelligence Test for the American people. Are we wise enough to study the issues, see through the fog, and vote our own minds for what is best for our country? What do you want, a President with a charming smile and clever rhetoric dedicated to his own reelection or a President dedicated to solving America’s problems with serious policies? I have faith in the ultimate wisdom of the American people to support individual freedom, free markets, sound fiscal and monetary policy, economic growth, and limited government over the Obama alternative. For me the answer is clear – “Save America-Elect Romney & Ryan in November!”

The Old Guy PhD

Save America – Elect Romney & Ryan in November!

G’Day!

Romney and Ryan! Hooray! The Republicans have chosen intelligent, honest, dedicated, and responsible candidates for President and Vice President of our country. Unfortunately, Obama and Biden are currently still in office. They cannot be replaced fast enough for me. The longer Obama and the Democrats continue in power, the greater the decline of America. In my opinion, a vote for Obama and the Democrats is suicidal for our exceptional nation. I trust and believe that the American people are wise enough to see through the rhetoric of deception, division, and blame and recognize the true economic and social failures of Obama’s centrally planned socialism. In November we must vote Obama and enough Democrats out of office to save our country from financial collapse under a mountain of unsustainable debt, which in the next week will reach $16 Trillion or over $50,000 for every man, woman, and child in America. This is an increase of approximately 60% since Obama was elected and is absolutely intolerable!

The team of Romney and Ryan are real Americans who personally share and support the opportunities and values inherent in “The American Dream”. They believe in the values expressed in “The Declaration of Independence” of equal opportunity for all to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. They further believe in strong national defense, individual freedom, free market capitalism, sound fiscal and monetary policy, freedom of religion, and Constitutionally limited government. Unlike Obama, Romney actually has a business-friendly five point plan to correct our fiscal and debt crisis, create millions of new private-sector jobs, save Social Security & Medicare, and get America back on a path to prosperity. Fortune Magazine summarized the five key areas in the plan as follows: “(1) Aggressively promote domestic energy development, especially fossil fuels. (2) Expand the market for U.S. goods overseas by negotiating new trade agreements and standing up to China on intellectual-property and currency issues. (3) Improve workforce skills by transferring job-training programs to the states and going after teachers’ unions, which, he says, stand in the way of school choice and better instruction. (4) Attack the deficit through budget cuts, not tax increases. And (5), reshape the regulatory climate to “encourage and promote small business” rather than swamp it. That last item covers his most consistent and passionate campaign pledge, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act — “reshaping health care reform,” he says, “by replacing Obamacare with measures that will bring down the cost of health insurance rather than, as Obamacare does, increasing it.” This plan, combined with the Romney-Ryan Budget and a proposed “Cap” on Government Spending at 20% of GDP, is an excellent start.

On the other hand, Obama has America on a suicidal path to fiscal and economic failure with no serious plan to grow the economy, create private sector jobs, and reduce the national debt and deficit. Obama’s alternative is more of the same: more government spending, more government regulations, more government taxes, more government control, and less personal and business freedom. Obama doesn’t seem to care about our national security, the US Constitution, our allies abroad, personal liberty, private property rights, economic growth, free market capitalism, or traditional American values. Apparently, Obama cares more about wealth redistribution, bigger and bigger government, labor unions, and, most importantly, personal reelection. Unlike Obama, Romney and Ryan are telling us the truth about the economic crisis we face and have logical and reasonable plans to correct the Obama debacle over the next decade. Their plans are not radical but rational and should be supported by a majority of Americans who want our country to grow and prosper.

Obama is the antithesis of nearly everything I believe about America & virtually everything that has made America exceptional. The centrally controlled “trickle up poverty” collectivist policies of dependency & unsustainable entitlements by Obama and the Democrats are not working in America, are creating crisis and potential disaster in Europe, and have failed historically. Obama has had his opportunity and he has failed as a leader. Perhaps his failure was inevitable given his serious lack of qualifications when he was elected. It is time to replace him and Vice President Biden with a truly qualified and experienced leadership team.

The growth of Western Civilization and especially the United States was fuelled by the expansion of individual liberties, private property rights, and a free market capitalist society. Our nation was established on the basic principle that government is the servant of the people, not that the people are the servants of government. It’s time to take back our country and return to the individual liberties, free markets, economic growth, and limited government we have long enjoyed. The United States of America is the greatest, most prosperous, most unselfish, and most exceptional country in history. There is still an opportunity to save The American Dream but time is rapidly running out. Vote for the real American “Hope & Change” offered by Romney and Ryan in November.

The Old Guy PhD

Is Our Government Broken?

G’Day!

Yes, our government is currently broken and it needs to GET TO WORK! The events taking place in our national government and some states do not represent the principles of elected representative government upon which America was founded. We elected our officials to serve the needs of the people, not the desires of their political party, big business, or unions.

President Obama, both Democrat and Republican Congressional Representatives and Senators (with minor exceptions) are not currently working for the long-term benefit of America. Nearly all are posturing and working for what they perceive as the good of their political party and personal reelection. Citizens have common sense and know that we have fiscal and debt crises that are too large and unsustainable. We must get our State and Federal Governments in order.

Our overall national debt is currently $14.2 trillion and growing. It is nearly the size of our annual GDP.  Disturbingly, over $1 trillion of this debt is held by China, not our most reliable or friendly partner. Our fiscal deficit in 2008 was $0.459 trillion, by 2010 it nearly tripled to $1.3 trillion, and the expected deficit in 2011 is $1.7 trillion. Additionally, we currently have unfunded “entitlement” liabilities for Social Security of $14.8 trillion, Prescription Drugs of $19.6 trillion, & Medicare of $78.1 trillion. This is a total current obligation for future generations of $112.5 trillion, nearly 8 times our total annual output and just over $1.0 MILLION per current taxpayer. This is madness and is crippling our economy and economic growth.

We actually have NO FEDERAL BUDGET for 2011! Obama’s unapproved 2011 “budget” is expected to reach $3.7 trillion this year. This amounts to $10.1 BILLION PER DAY. In the current congressional debate concerning raising the debt ceiling, Democrats have offered  “real” cuts for the remainder of the fiscal year of $10 billion (1 day’s spending) and the Republicans are offering approximately $60 billion (only 6 day’s spending). Neither proposal even remotely addresses the magnitude of our problem. If agreement can’t be reached in Congress, the Federal Government may be forced to shut down. Frankly, except for national security and some essential services, this might actually be a good thing. Our government is too big, too irresponsible, and too self-oriented. Can you imagine what the Founding Fathers would think of what is happening in our government today? A temporary shut down might force us to be more responsible and self-reliant, as the founders of our nation and our Constitution intended.

As noted, the magnitude of our nation’s financial problem is enormous, increasing, and untenable! So what is our government doing to correct the crisis? Last year, the Democrats, who controlled the Administration, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, failed to even pass a Federal Budget for fiscal 2011. They were, however, able to compound our future fiscal and debt problems by passing a massive and unpopular healthcare bill and a financial reform bill, both of which further increase the size of government, with more regulations and control over important sectors of our lives. This legislation further erodes our liberties and free-market economy. Do we really want to become a collectivist country with the government dictating our lives?

For his part, President Obama has virtually abdicated all leadership in this crisis by proposing a new budget for next year projecting spending of another $3.7 trillion and an addition to the deficit of $1.6 trillion. Over the next 10 years the new Obama budget proposal is expected to produce a further cumulative deficit of $7.2 trillion, bringing our overall national debt to approximately $22 trillion. President Obama is spending (pun intended) his time travelling, golfing, and giving political speeches; and his proposed budget is an embarrassment given the magnitude of our country’s ongoing financial problems.

In Congress only the Republicans are even attempting to deal with the fiscal and debt problem and so far they are dealing with trivial, not real spending or fiscal reform (although it is promised). The Democrats are essentially ignoring the problem and blocking even the inconsequential cuts proposed by Republicans for the remainder of this year (see above). When real leadership is essential, Obama and Congress have abdicated their responsibility to the nation and chosen posturing and rhetoric over work and accomplishment for the American people.

At the State level a few Governors are trying to deal with similar budget issues, but some Democrats have deserted their State Houses and fled their elected responsibilities (see “State Democrats Shun Democratic Process!”). Unions are sponsoring demonstrations in several states, which are disrupting our democratic processes and interfering with the ability of our democratically elected representatives (when present) to perform their legislative duties. This is a travesty and is not the way our democracy is intended to work.

Yes, our government is currently broken and it’s time to get to work. What should they be doing? First, after quickly resolving the ridiculous political stalemate over the debt limit and budget for the rest of this year, they should NOT make the fiscal situation worse and the government’s out-of-control spending and inefficiencies should be eliminated as soon as possible. The GAO report “Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue” has already identified unnecessary duplication, overlap, or fragmentation existing across our Federal Government totaling BILLIONS of dollars in ANNUAL SAVINGS. This is a good place to start.

Second, they should employ proven strategic management techniques. Any basic management course indicates that solving problems and capturing opportunities requires: setting long-term goals, reviewing historical performance to identify strengths and weaknesses, identifying and prioritizing alternative “comprehensive” solutions, acting on the best “comprehensive” solutions, and measuring and correcting course to improve performance. Our government needs to follow this agenda. The Bowles-Simpson, Co-Chairs Draft Report, “National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility”, is a reasonable draft proposal for identifying and establishing these goals and actions (some painful) to resolve the long-term financial crisis we face as a nation. It addresses all areas of government including its size, spending, and revenues and suggests major reform in income taxation and entitlement programs. This is also a good place to start. To date, neither President Obama nor Congress appears to be seriously considering the information and recommendations in either report.

“Big Government is Our Problem”! Let’s fix it and put our country back on a solid foundation with individual freedom, free markets, sound fiscal and monetary policy, economic growth, and limited government!

The Old Guy PhD

 

Big Government IS Our Problem!

G’Day!

President Reagan was right! Big government IS our problem. Many of you are justified in your frustration with government for its increasing size, spending, regulation, and control over our lives. Left unchecked (pun intended), our individual freedoms, ability as a nation to innovate, and competitiveness in the global economy will continue to be eroded. If government would get out of the way, business would improve, jobs would be created, and the country would prosper. Reforming both personal and business income taxes is also required and would further stimulate growth and job creation. Taxes will be the subject of future posts on this site.

The magnitude of our nation’s financial problem is enormous and growing! We anticipate a fiscal deficit of $1.6 trillion in 2011 and President Obama’s budget proposal for 2012 projects a further deficit of $1.1 trillion. Over the next 10 years the new Obama budget proposal projects a cumulative deficit of $7.2 trillion. Additionally, we currently have an overall national debt in excess of $14 trillion, nearly the size of our annual GDP, and according to the National Debt Clock, have unfunded “entitlement” liabilities for Social Security of $14.8 trillion, Prescription Drugs of $19.6 trillion, & Medicare of $78.1 trillion. This is a current total obligation for future generations of $112.5 trillion, nearly 8 times our total annual output and just over $1.0 MILLION per current taxpayer. This is madness and is unsustainable for our economy.

President Obama has impressive rhetoric, but his new “centrist” oratory is unconvincing and inconsistent with the actions of his administration. He has a very different view for the future of our government than I. Obama’s actions indicate the socialist belief that BIG government is the answer to most, if not all, issues. He is converting our personal freedoms and free market economy into a European-style collectivist society with strong central governmental control over our lives and appears to believe that central government can make better decisions for individuals than individuals can make for themselves in a free society. This is a dangerous trend toward expanded central planning and is not the constitutional basis for liberty upon which the Founding Fathers established our great nation. Oddly enough, Obama’s action is taking place at a time when the major European nations are moving in the opposite direction toward American ideals. I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who said, “Government should only do for the people what the people cannot do for themselves.” I fully agree.

If the current administration is not stopped, America’s freedoms, spirit of entrepreneurship, & economic strength could be set back for years and probably permanently diminished. Much has already been initiated with the new legislation for healthcare and financial reform. Both of these new acts add too much central governmental control over crucial industries and need to be repealed or modified to conform to the principles of our free market economy. Future posts will also explore these two subjects in more detail.

America is on an unfavorable and unsustainable course, which must be changed or we face extremely serious consequences for our economy and our freedoms. Ronald Reagan was right (additional pun intended) when he said the 9 scariest words are, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” It is time for us to take back our country.

Big government IS the problem; freedom is the answer.

The Old Guy PhD