Sunday, December 18, 2011

Irreconcilable Differences

I have come to the conclusion that most political banter at the federal level is a complete waste of time. No one is willing to point to the elephant in the room – that there are irreconcilable differences between The Left (liberals / progressives / socialists) and conservatives.

The call for compromise always comes from The Left. They require conservatives to compromise, which means move to the Left. The Republican Party has been doing this for years. Enough is enough! Conservatives do NOT need to compromise core beliefs, values and principles. Why should we since, in poll after poll, the majority of American considers themselves “conservative”.

Below is my list of irreconcilable differences between the modern liberal / progressive agenda and that of the Tea Party / conservatives. You will find a recurring theme among all of The Left’s pronouncements – they are unwilling to admit their beliefs to the American people. Common sense tells you that if someone is unable to look you in the eye and tell you why they believe what they believe, you should stay clear!

  • The Left - The people are weak, lazy and stupid, therefore, they require guidance from omnipotent governmental representatives.
  • Conservatives - Even if the people are weak, lazy and stupid, it’s none of our business. Our job is to follow the Constitution and ensure the peoples’ rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are protected.
  • The Left – Big government will solve our problems.
  • Conservatives – Government is the problem and should be as small as possible. 
  • The Left – The Constitution is a living breathing document “full of negative rights” and should be changed to include positive rights.
  • Conservatives - The Constitution is set in stone. If you want to change it, follow the amendment process. 
  • The Left – Judges should legislate from the bench if it is in the best interest of “the People”.
  • Conservatives – Judges should interpret the law and apply it to the case in front of them regardless of their personal feelings. Laws are written by the Legislative Branch of government NOT the Judicial Branch. Judges that do not follow this prescription should be impeached. 
  • The Left – Capitalism is bad. Socialism is good. Spread the wealth around.
  • Conservatives – Capitalism and pursuing what is in your individual self-interest is the most productive economic model in the history of mankind. Trying to equalize outcomes by spreading the wealth around leads to government cronyism and lower production. “Where is John Galt?” 
  • The Left – Labor unions are a force for good.
  • Conservatives – Labor unions have become arrogant and gluttonous as they pursue more outrageous pension benefits for their members and peddle political influence with the Democrat Party; all at the expense of tax payers. Their policies have helped bankrupt many states and will eventually topple the country.
  • The Left – Abortion is ok but killing a two year old is murder.
  • Conservatives - Government’s most sacred responsibility is to preserve “Life”. Abortion ends the life of an innocent, indefensible human being. “Choice” simply means having the ability to legally murder another human being. 
  • The Left – The government can and should be trusted with our money.
  • Conservatives – Everything the government touches fails (usually) miserably. 
  • The Left – Their entire agenda is dependent on an apathetic and/or ignorant populace. 
  • Conservatives – Our entire agenda is dependent on an engaged and informed populace familiar with the Constitution.
  • The Left – There is no limit to what the federal government can and should regulate – carbon dioxide emissions, the light bulbs we can buy, the health insurance we can purchase, how fast we drive, the debit card fees we incur, . . . .
  • Conservatives – “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” 
  • The Left – Conservation, windmills, solar panels and electric cars are the only ways to address our energy problems. No drilling for domestic sources. No pipelines built. No nuclear power plants built.
  • Conservatives – Conservation is fine and should be encouraged as should investment in alternative methods BUT we should drill for domestic sources of oil and natural gas, build the necessary pipelines and build nuclear power plants.
  • The Left – We have a revenue problem.
  • Conservatives – We have a spending problem.
  • The Left – Occupy Wall is a legitimate movement with legitimate gripes.
  • Conservatives – Occupy Wall Street is a bunch of college students, hippies from the 1960’s, radical leftists, statists and communists with no coherent message beyond anti-capitalism, rampant drug use, sexual promiscuity and sexual assault.
  • The Left – Global warming or global cooling or climate change is manmade. There is consensus on this fact. We should ratify the Kyoto Treaty, lower our standard of living and pay carbon credits to other nations while allowing the three largest polluters in the world, China Mexico and India, to avoid participating in the treaty.
  • Conservatives – Global warming, cooling, climate change is one of the biggest hoaxes ever imposed on humankind.
  • The Left – The United Nations is a force for good.
  • Conservatives – The United Nations is one of the most corrupt organizations in the history of geopolitics. The United States should not contribute to their budget until their policies reflect that which the majority of Americans believe. 
  • The Left – The federal government should continue to be heavily involved in the education of our children.
  • Conservatives – The Department of Education should be shut down immediately and all control returned to local governments.
  • The Left – Big business creates most of the jobs in this country and, therefore, receives the majority of government favors (subsidies).
  • Conservatives – Big businesses have been net job losers domestically for three decades. Small business is the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. We should maintain a regulatory and economic environment that encourages entrepreneurs and supports small businesses.
  • The Left – Raise taxes on the rich and create a permanent voting block that either pays no taxes or receives money from the government.
  • Conservatives – Cut spending, cut tax rates across the board and make sure everyone pays something into the system; expand the tax base.
  • The Left – Everyone gets a trophy.
  • Conservatives - Only the winner gets a trophy. 
  • The Left – Use entitlement programs to buy votes.
  • Conservatives – Use these programs to temporarily help those in need but also include a specific path to move the recipients toward self-sufficiency.
  • The Left – State control of private property.
  • Conservatives – Individual control of private property.
  • The LeftAmerica is no different than any other country on earth.
  • ConservativesAmerica is exceptional.
  • The Left – Green Jobs are a worthy investment.
  • Conservatives – "Green Jobs" is code for transfer of wealth.
  • The Left – Measures unemployment by citing “saved” jobs.
  • Conservatives – Does not try to "save" jobs, they create economic environments that encourages creative destruction and unleashes capitalism.                                                            
  • The Left – African-American conservatives must be crucified (Thomas, West, Rice, Cain).
  • Conservatives – Welcome to the party!
    • The Left – Government knows best.
    • Conservatives – Father knows best.
    • The Left – Perpetual initial weekly claims for unemployment benefits of 400,000 and functional unemployment near 20% is an acceptable cost in order to bring in their socialistic utopia.
    • Conservatives – Socialism always ends badly.
    • The Left – Ignores immoral behavior when a Democrat is the offender and has a conniption fit when a Republican conducts himself similarly.
    • Conservatives – Immoral behavior is wrong regardless of what party the offender is a member of.
    • The Left – The Great Society was a success.
    • Conservatives – The Great Society perpetuated a dependency on the government.
    • The Left – The War on Poverty must be continued.
    • Conservatives – The War on Poverty is a complete and absolute failure. The poverty rate is the same as it was before "the war" was declared.
    • The Left – Calls tax cuts “expensive”. “In 2001 and 2003, Congress passed two of the most expensive tax cuts for the wealthy in history.” Barack Hussein Obama
    • Conservatives – Have no way to digest and process this type of rhetoric. How can cutting taxes be expensive – unless everything is looked at in terms of the government? It is expensive to a gluttoneous government when we cut off their food supply (our money).
    • The Left – Equal results.
    • Conservatives – Equal opportunity.
    • The Left – There are “two America’s” (The 99% and. The 1%)
    • Conservatives – When compared with the rest of the world, America is The 1%. Get off your ass, leave the pity party and grab the vast opportunities afforded to you by this amazing country.
    • The Left – The collective.
    • Conservatives – The individual.
    • The Left – Unemployment benefits are economy boosters and food stamps are job creators.
    • Conservatives – Both statements are false. Both services should be temporary. 
    • The Left – Help should come from government.
    • Conservatives – Help should come from family, the church, charities and your community.

    Thursday, December 8, 2011

    Hit the Reset Button

    Washington is a cesspool. Both political parties are corrupt. They both enlarge government to the benefit of their special interests at the expense of the rest of us. The only difference between the Republicans and the Democrats is the rate of growth. Government always grows; it grew under Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43 and through the roof under Obama. 

    If you think America is heading in the right direction or possibly we just need to nibble around the edges, the establishment (of both parties) will always have plenty of candidates for you to choose from. Think McCain, Bush and Dole. Think Gore, Kerry, Dukakis and Mondale.

    Clearly, Obama will continue the spending, growing the government, increasing regulations, diminishing our liberties, maintaining the gravy train to unions and "green" companies and, quite frankly, running this great country into the ground. 

    Sadly, Gingrich and Romney will probably nibble around the edges. Do you really believe that they will CUT anything of substance? Don't get me wrong, either of them will be head and shoulders better than Obama but that's not saying much as any CEO or mayor is more qualified to be President than Obama.

    Glenn Beck has often talked about the need for America to hit the reset button. There are only two GOP  candidates that I believe are willing to hit the reset button: Ron Paul and Michele Bachmann.
    • Both are committed to disrupting the status quo.
    • Paul is committed to ending or dramatically reducing foreign aid.
    • Paul is committed to dramatically cutting our military’s engagement throughout the world.
    • Both are committed to cutting federal spending – social programs, closing entire agencies, military spending.
    • Both are committed to ending the practice of hiring White House czars.
    • Both are committed to ending the use of Executive Orders and Signing Statements.
    • Both are committed to radical reform to our entitlement programs.
    • Both are committed to following the Constitution as written.
    • Most importantly, both believe the federal government is THE PROBLEM.
    Neither Bachmann nor Paul will get the Republican nomination but, if Paul were to run as a third-party candidate (perhaps as the first ever Tea Party candidate), I believe he would take votes from both Obama and from the eventual GOP nominee.