Views on the News
February 20, 2010
Views
on the News*
This
week’s Views on the News will be a
little different. The American people
are waking up to find a President very different from the one they voted for in
November! Over a year ago, the
American people placed an enormous amount of trust in President Obama to make
good on his promises of renewed responsibility and a new era of political
bipartisanship. However, when faced with
an extreme economic downturn Obama used the crisis as a means to his liberal
ends and with the help of his Congressional allies forced his failed $862
billion stimulus package on America.
President Obama and Congressional Democrats have done nothing to help
the worker or the entrepreneur to overcome such times sooner. Instead, they
conceitedly pushed a job-killing agenda that included a $2.5 trillion
government takeover of health care and a cap-and-trade national energy tax
scheme that has only brought instability to our economy and insecurity to the
American people. Now we are faced with “buyer’s remorse” which is evidenced by a
stampede of Independents abandoning President Obama and his leftist
Congress. Elections in Virginia, New
Jersey, and Massachusetts are a reflection of this dissatisfaction. Meanwhile the TEA Party movement has been
active articulating average Americans’ rejection of Obama’s “transformation” of government into a
giant nanny state. The sheer hubris of
this administration has demonstrated the leftist disdain for the Constitution
and the opinions of its citizens. “Hope” and “Change” has morphed into “Nope”
to listening to Americans opinions and government “Chains”
being built to limit our freedoms. Both
the people who voted for Obama and now regret it and those who did not vote for
Obama are searching for a better alternative to the current administration. Republicans, Conservatives, TEA Party
activists, and average Americans are offering their ideas on how to recover
from the current administration and to rebuild our country as our Founders
planned. The
following paragraphs document a number of alternatives that have surfaced over
the last couple of years that should be considered as “We, the People,” begin to
take back our government in the November 2010 elections.
(“The failure of
a stimulus” by Michael Steele dated February 17, 2010 published by The
Daily Caller at http://dailycaller.com/2010/02/17/the-failure-of-a-stimulus/
)
In May
2008 Congressman Paul Ryan introduced
“The
Road Map for America's Future” (HR 4529), that is a comprehensive
proposal to ensure health and retirement security for all Americans, to lift
the debt burdens that are mounting every day because of Washington's reckless
spending, and to promote jobs and competitiveness in the 21st century global
economy. It is a radical plan to
balance the federal budget by slashing the sacred cows of American entitlement
spending: Social Security and Medicare.
Entitlements have traditionally been a third rail for politicians, which makes this plan unique, and since Democrats have no
ideas how to address the impending bankruptcies, they have instead chosen to
attack this plan. The difference between
the Road Map and the Democrats' approach could not be clearer: it restrains
government spending, and hence limits the size of government itself; it
rejuvenates the vibrant market economy that made America the envy of the world;
and it restores an American character rooted in individual initiative,
entrepreneurship and opportunity. Here are the principal elements:
·
Health Care. The plan ensures universal access to affordable health insurance by
restructuring the tax code, allowing all Americans to secure an affordable
health plan that best suits their needs, and shifting the control and ownership
of health coverage away from the government and employers to individuals. It provides a refundable tax credit to purchase
coverage and keep it with them if they move or change jobs. It establishes
transparency in health-care price and quality data, so this critical
information is readily available before someone needs health services. State-based high risk pools will make
affordable care available to those with pre-existing conditions.
·
Medicare. The plan secures Medicare for current beneficiaries, while making
common-sense reforms to save this critical program. It preserves the existing
Medicare program for Americans currently 55 or older so they can receive the
benefits they planned for throughout their working lives. For those under 55, it creates a Medicare
payment to be used to purchase a Medicare certified plan. The payment is
adjusted to reflect medical inflation, and pegged to income, with low-income
individuals receiving greater support. The plan also provides risk adjustment,
so those with greater medical needs receive a higher payment. The proposal also fully funds Medical Savings
Accounts (MSAs) for low-income beneficiaries, while continuing to allow all
beneficiaries, regardless of income, to set up tax-free MSAs.
·
Social Security. The plan preserves the existing Social Security program for those 55 or
older. For those under 55, the plan offers the option of investing over
one-third of their current Social Security taxes into personal retirement
accounts, similar to the Thrift Savings Plan available to federal employees.
This proposal includes a property right, so those who own these accounts can
pass on the assets to their heirs. The plan also makes the program permanently
solvent by combining a modest adjustment in the growth of initial Social
Security's benefits for higher-income individuals, with a gradual, modest
increase in the retirement age.
·
Tax Reform. The plan provides the option of a simplified system that promotes work,
saving and investment. This highly simplified code has just two rates and includes
a generous standard deduction and personal exemption, no tax loopholes,
deductions, credits or exclusions and eliminates
the alternative minimum tax. It promotes saving by eliminating taxes on
interest, capital gains, and dividends, eliminates the death tax, and replaces
the corporate income tax with a business consumption tax of 8.5%.
“Ryanism” is not only a technical
solution to endless deficits; it represents an alternative political
philosophy. Democrats have attempted to
build a political constituency for the welfare state by expanding its
provisions to larger and larger portions of the middle class. Ryan proposes a federal system that focuses
on helping the poor, while encouraging the middle class to take more personal
responsibility in a dynamic economy. It
is the appeal of security vs. the appeal of independence and enterprise. The CBO estimated that Ryan’s plan would
accomplish what no other recent proposal could claim to do – it would
strengthen the economy and put the government’s finances on a sustainable
track. President Obama has called this
plan “a serious proposal” and a
refined version may serve as a starting point in the discussions about whether
major tax increases are necessary to make the federal budget sustainable. It
is not too late to take control of our fiscal and economic future, but the
longer we wait, the bigger the problem becomes and the more difficult our
options for solving it. The Road Map for America’s
Future promotes our 1) national prosperity by limiting government's burden of
spending, mandates and regulation, 2) ensures the opportunity for individuals
to fulfill their human potential and enjoy the satisfaction of their own
achievements, and 3) it secures the distinctly American legacy of leaving the
next generation better off.
(“A GOP Road Map for America’s Future” by
Paul D. Ryan dated January 26, 2010 published by The Wall Street Journal at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703808904575025080017959478.html#printMode
“A Roadmap for America’s Future” by
Budget Committee Republicans at http://www.roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/
“Obama on the Path to Ruin” by Michael Gerson dated February 10, 2010 published by Town Hall at http://townhall.com/columnists/MichaelGerson/2010/02/10/obama_on_the_path_to_ruin
)
In 2008, I suggested
that if Conservatives were serious about the need to return to their
conservative roots as a strategy to win in 2012, a radical new “Return
to Common Sense” platform was needed:
·
Vision - Return to Common Sense (Conservative):
o
Core Principle:Traditional conservative values
§ Return to constitutional principles
§ Return to a citizen government
§ Defend family as the basic American building block
§ Protect life from inception
o
Core Principle:
Fiscal responsibility
§ Downsize the federal government
§ Get federal government out of businesses where they don't belong
§ Achieve energy independence
§ Unleash free market capitalism
o
Core Principle: Strong national defense
§ Show one united face to the outside world
§ Demonstrate global leadership with effective international organizations
§ Defend democracy and freedom from attack
§ Control immigration for the common good
·
Plan - Re-energize
o Core Principle:
Traditional conservative values
§ Enforce original Constitutional intent (eliminate
political correctness, multiculturalism, and diversity)
http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/philosophy.php
§ Enact terms limits (12 years max) for all elected offices (return to citizen legislators) http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/elections.php
§ Pass a Marriage amendment (protect
marriage between a man and a woman) http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/family.php
§ Outlaw abortion (life begins at
conception) http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/abortion.php
o
Core Principle: Fiscal responsibility
§ Close down and divest nonessential functions (cut
federal government by over 50%) http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/budget.php
§ Divest federal entitlement programs (Medicare/Medicaid
to the States; privatize Social Security) http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/healthcare.php and http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/socialsecurity.php
§ Strive for energy independence (oil, gas, coal, nuclear, biofuels, etc.) by exploiting all known reserves http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/energy.php
§ Replace progressive income tax with fair, flat 10% tax (no deductions
and no exemptions) to pay for downsized federal government http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/taxes.php and http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/economy.php
o
Core Principle: Strong national defense
§ Unify foreign policy based on US interests first (DAIM: Diplomatic, Aid,
Infrastructure / nation-building, Military) http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/fp/philosophy.php and http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/fp/aid.php
§ Get out of the United Nations and replace with League of Democracies to
promote freedom and capitalism http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/fp/unitednations.php
§ Defeat Islamo-fascists wherever they exist http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/fp/terrorism.php and http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/homelandsecurity.php
and http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/fp/defense.php
§ Assimilate immigrants into core American values (English
language, American core values, US law) http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/immigration.php
American people want to see a vision
of where government is going and what it will look like once we achieve it, so
this framework starts with a high level vision and then expands into actionable
plans to show how we go from where we are today to where we should be in the
future.
(“Return to
Common Sense Vision and Plan” by David Coughlin dated November 15, 2008
published by Return to Common Sense at http://www.returntocommonsensesite.com/Archives/ViewsOnNews111508.php
)
University
of Maryland Professor Ron Lipsman has suggested that if Republicans want to
regain political power in both the Congress and the Presidency, what is needed
is a roadmap to guide coordinated actions to repair the damage done to our
country. The first priority is to shrink the
government - this must be Job One of a new, powerful conservative government.
Here's how to do it:
·
A
renewed emphasis on the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution must be
implemented to make clear that the people are sovereign and that, aside from
the limited and defined powers granted to the Federal Government by the
Constitution, all remaining powers are reserved to the States and to the
people.
·
The
Federal Government's budget must be restricted to a percentage of GDP more in
line with historic figures. We should reduce it to no more than 20%.
·
Federal
entitlement programs are out of control and by themselves threaten to bankrupt
the country. They all should be severely curtailed and ultimately privatized.
·
Every
federal agency's budget should be cut by at least 25%, and at least 25% of the
agencies should be phased out. Several cabinet level departments should be
axed.
·
All
federal taxes (income, payroll, capital gains, estate, etc.) should be cut by
at least 25%.
·
The
number of federal regulations should be cut by at least 50%.
·
The
deficit and national debt must be addressed. There should be statutory or
constitutional limits set on the permissible size of the deficit as a
percentage of GDP - never more than 5% as it has been historically (except
during the two world wars). Also a Constitutional mandate for a balanced budget
is also needed, which could only be violated in times of national emergency and
only upon a three-quarters vote of Congress.
·
The
Federal Government should sell off large portions of its tangible assets
including buildings, land and equipment. The proceeds should go toward reducing
the national debt.
·
Judicial
power must be reined in. Appointments for life should be terminated and justices
should serve fixed terms (e.g., 10, perhaps 15 years).
·
The
Federal Reserve should be reexamined. Its power and responsibilities should be
open for serious discussion.
The second priority to guide
conservatives’ actions is to defeat Islamic fundamentalism. Above all, we must
recognize and appropriately name the danger we face: A resurgent, worldwide and
radical Muslim movement that intends to destroy the United States, Israel and
Western Civilization. Like the previous totalitarian movements we defeated,
Nazism and Communism, radical Islam is bent on world domination. Unlike the
previous two, radical Islam is not led from a single nation-state, but that
does not make the threat to us any less dangerous. Here are some of the steps
we must take:
·
Although
there is not a single source, there are identifiable sites of greatest strength,
such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. We must impose severe sanctions on the
first and punitive measures on the latter two to induce modified behavior.
Military action must never be ruled out.
· We must make clear that, should
circumstances warrant, Teheran is a potential military target, and also Medina
and Mecca. That will focus their attention on the price they might pay for
pursuing their mad quest.
· The US must beef up its military. That means
a larger force and the most advanced weapons, conventional, nuclear and those
designed for asymmetric warfare. We must restore the capabilities of our
intelligence services.
· We should recognize that Israel is our most
reliable ally in this struggle and cease our fixation on the so-called "Palestinian problem." Were Israel
to disappear and Fatah/Hamas/Hezbollah to rule the Holy Land, it would not
change by one iota the fundamental goal of the Islamic radicals to obliterate
the West.
· We must find a way to reenergize our NATO
allies: cease appeasement of our common Muslim enemies (which are increasingly
found inside their borders); beef up their military capabilities; and seriously
engage in this global struggle that threatens their existence even more than
ours.
· We should stop apologizing for "past American sins," reaffirm our
role as the world's chief bastion and model of freedom and go on the offensive
against the enemy that endangers us. We need to engage the Jihadists in the
court of world opinion as well as on the battlefield.
The third priority is to recapture
the culture from the Left that has almost completely usurped it over the last
century. Here are the key philosophical principles that should guide us:
· A reverence for, allegiance to and study of
the US Constitution must be a characteristic of all Americans, both young and
old.
· Similarly, the study of and pride in US
history must be ubiquitous among the people.
· Individual liberty must be restored as our
highest goal. This does not mean an entitlement mentality that sees all of us
with equal outcomes at the end of the day, but rather equal opportunity for all
of us to achieve at the highest levels we can attain.
· A belief in free markets, entrepreneurship,
democratic capitalism and a rejection of the idea that the government can run
our economy more effectively than the entrepreneurs, investors, shopkeepers and
laborers who create and populate our job market.
· Clean up the filth and degeneracy,
propagated by the media, academia and the legal profession, which poses for
culture in liberal America. Religion needs to play a role.
· Restore pride in myriad aspects of the
traditional culture that have been marginalized:
Calvinist work ethic, humility, restraint, thrift, nuclear family.
· Cease and desist all multicultural foolishness
like: bilingual education, diversity programs, group rights, gay marriage and
coddling of illegal immigrants.
· Look to religious, civic, neighborhood and
private philanthropic organizations to provide charity to the less fortunate —
NOT the government.
There are two bold
steps that would truly herald a re-founding of America as a Constitutional
republic. First, some of the
above-mentioned steps might require a modification of the Constitution, so
convene a Constitutional Convention to fix it. Second, the President, Members of Congress,
and Supreme Court justices all pledge to protect and defend the Constitution. We
need to hold all of them equally responsible for safeguarding the Constitution.
The U.S. has exhibited remarkable rejuvenative powers in response to numerous existential
crises in the past. Today’s assault on our country his one poses a greater
problem in that the crisis has been festering for a century and its true nature
is hidden from much of the population, but our American exceptionalism
can overcome and return our country to its former greatness.
(“A Flight of
Fantasy II: A manifesto for Conservatives When They Regain Power” by Ron Lipsman dated February 12, 2010 published by Intellectual
Conservative at http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2010/02/12/a-flight-of-fantasy-ii-a-manifesto-for-conservatives-when-they-regain-power/
)
The nation's top Conservative Leaders have signed a
document entitled the “Mount Vernon Statement” that vows to
return to Constitutional conservatism and its founding principles, which has
been under sustained attack by the big government liberals and moral
relativism. The Mount Vernon
conservatives assert that they need a restatement of Constitutional
conservatism grounded in the priceless principle of ordered liberty articulated
in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The conservatism of the declaration asserts
self-evident truths based on the laws of nature and nature’s God. It defends life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness. It traces authority to the consent of the governed. It recognizes
man’s self-interest but also his capacity for virtue. The conservatism of the Constitution limits
government’s powers but ensures that government performs its proper job
effectively. It refines popular will
through the filter of representation. It
provides checks and balances through the several branches of government and a
federal republic. The statement also
seeks to unite the goals of social conservatives, economic conservatives and
national security conservatives. The statement says that constitutional
conservatism is based on key first principles for a “consistent and meaningful
policy agenda.” Here are the principles as presented in the Statement:
·
“It
applies the principle of limited government based on the rule of law to every
proposal.”
·
“It
honors the central place of individual liberty in American politics and life.”
·
“It
encourages free enterprise, the individual entrepreneur, and economic reforms
grounded in market solutions.”
·
“It
supports America’s national interest in advancing freedom and opposing tyranny
in the world and prudently considers what we can and should do to that end.”
·
“It
informs conservatism’s firm defense of family, neighborhood, community, and
faith."
Conservative
leaders in America wrote and signed a similar statement of beliefs and
principles, in September 1960, called “The Sharon Statement” which helped
bind conservatives and libertarians in America to pursue broad common goals. It
proved vital in the rise of the conservative movement and the election of
Ronald Reagan as president in 1980 and 1984.
The Mount Vernon Statement has been issued the
day before the opening of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC),
the nation's largest gathering of conservative political activists, and at a
critical point in an election year.
(“Mount Vernon Conservatives” by W. James Antle, III dated February 16, 2010 published by The
American Spectator at http://spectator.org/archives/2010/02/16/mount-vernon-conservatives
“’Mt. Vernon Statement’
of Conservative Principles Released to Public” by Fred Lucas dated February 17, 2010 published by Cybercast News
Service at http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/61476
“The Mount
Vernon Statement” dated February 17, 2010 published by http://www.mrcaction.org/550/statement.asp
)
Tea Party Leaders are asking voters to help draft a new and improved “Contract
from America” that will identify the top 10 national priorities that
must be addressed. In 1994 the
then House Speaker Newt Gingrich used his “Contract
with America” as a blueprint for action in Congress. Never
shy, Newt has proposed a “2010 Contract With America:”
·
Jobs,
jobs, jobs - Gingrich
recommends a 50% reduction in payroll taxes, a 100% write-off for small
business investment in tools and technology, zero capital gains, and lowering
the corporate tax to 12.5%. Obviously, we are talking about private sector job
creation.
·
Balance
the budget - From 1994
to 1998, federal spending growth was held to 2.9% annually which resulted in
four years of surpluses and a $405 billion reduction in the national debt.
·
An
American Energy Plan -
Drill here, drill now. Build nuclear reactors. Rein in the Environmental
Protection Agency's "bureaucratic
dictatorship on energy production."
·
Congressional
Appropriation Reform -
Eliminate earmarks, post bills 72 hours before voting, reverse
the Republican spending habits that undermined fiscal discipline during the
Bush years.
·
Litigation
Reform - The states
have found the quickest way to tort reform is to cap open-ended "non-economic damages." Compensating
hospital costs and lost wages is fine, but open-ended awards for
pain-and-suffering or punitive damages are limited only by jurors' imagination.
·
Real
Health Reform - Allow
the sale of health insurance across state lines, extend the tax benefits given
to employees to everyone, promote Health Savings Accounts.
·
Every
Child Gets Ahead - Promote
and facilitate vouchers, grants, and charter schools.
·
Protect
Religious Liberty -
Defend the religious majority from a "shockingly and increasingly
anti-religious elite" and "block
every effort to coerce religious people on abortion, marriage and other issues
of conscience and drive God out of public life."
·
Protect
Americans, Not the Rights of Terrorists – Stop treating invading terrorists as domestic criminals and see them
for what they are -- enemy combatants.
·
Defend
America - "Rebuild
our capital investment in the powerful defensive force in the world," which
can be reconciled with balancing the budget.
Tea Party Patriots held a press
conference at the CPAC conference to announce the launch of thecontract.org, where
activists will use to help “draft”
their “Contract from America” by
voting for their top 10 issues. More than a thousand ideas for the contract
were submitted and were edited down to 22 through the help of hundreds of Tea
Party activists and a series of online surveys.
The short list of ideas that the final 10 will be selected from are as
follows:
·
Demand a
Balanced Budget - Begin the
Constitutional amendment process to require a balanced budget with a two-thirds
majority needed for any tax hike.
·
Stop
the Tax Hikes - Permanently
repeal all tax hikes, including those to the income, capital gains, and death
taxes, currently scheduled to begin in 2011.
·
Commit
to Government Transparency - Every
bill, in its final form, will be made public seven days before any vote can be
taken and all government expenditures authorized by any bill will be easily
accessible on the Internet before the money is spent.
·
Protect
the Constitution - Require
each bill to identify the specific provision of the Constitution that gives
Congress the power to do what the bill does.
·
Pass
Real Health Care Reform - Improve
affordability of health insurance by permitting all Americans access to all
health insurance plans sold anywhere in the U.S. and allow small businesses and
associations to pool together across state lines to buy insurance.
·
Enact
Fundamental Tax Reform - Adopt
a simple and fair single-rate tax system by scrapping the internal revenue
code.
·
End
Runaway Government Spending - Impose a statutory cap limiting the annual growth in federal spending to
the sum of inflation rate plus the percentage of population growth.
·
Let
Us Save - Allow all
Americans to opt out of Social Security and Medicare to put those same payroll
taxes in a personal account they own, control, and can leave to whomever they
choose.
·
Protect
Internet Freedom - No
regulation or tax on the Internet.
·
Give
Parents More Choices in the Education of Their Children - Improve American education by reforming the
broken federal role, eliminating ineffective and wasteful programs, giving
parents more choices from pre-school to high school, and improving the
affordability of higher education.
·
Pass
an ‘All of the Above’ Energy Policy -
Authorize the exploration
of proven energy reserves to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources
and reduce regulatory barriers to all other forms of energy creation, lowering
prices and creating competition.
·
Protect
Freedom of the Press - Prohibit
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from using funds to reinstate the
Fairness Doctrine in any form.
·
Restore
Fiscal Responsibility & Constitutionally Limited Government - Create a Blue Ribbon taskforce that audits all
federal agencies and programs, assessing their Constitutionality, and
identifying duplication, waste, ineffectiveness, and agencies and programs
better at the states.
·
Protect
Private Property Rights - Block
state and local governments that receive federal grants from exercising eminent
domain over private property for the primary purpose of economic development or
enhancement of tax revenues.
·
Reject
Cap & Trade - Prevent
the EPA from implementing costly new regulations that would increase
unemployment, raise consumer prices, and weaken the nation’s global
competitiveness with virtually no impact on global temperatures.
·
Stop
the Pork - Place a
moratorium on all earmarks until a balanced budget is achieved, and then
require a 2/3 majority to pass any earmark.
·
No
Czar Regulation Without Representation - All “lawmaking” regulations
must be affirmatively approved by Congress and signed into law by the
president, as the Constitution requires.
·
Audit
the Fed - Begin an audit of
the Federal Reserve System.
·
No
More Bailouts - The federal
government should not bail out private companies and should immediately begin
divesting its stake in the private companies it owns from recent bailouts.
·
Stop
Career Politicians and Curb Lobbyist Power - Begin the Constitutional amendment process to require Congressional term
limits. No person shall be elected to the Senate more than twice or to the
House of Representatives more than four times.
·
Sunset
Regulations - All
regulations will be “sunset” after 10
years unless renewed by Congressional vote.
·
Let
Us Watch - Broadcast all
non-security meetings and votes on C-SPAN and the Internet.
Once finalized the final “Contract from America” will be presented
to Congress on April 15th asking members of Congress to sign the final
document. Thirty-five
years ago at CPAC, a call for “bold
colors and no pale pastels” came from Ronald Reagan and today, that same
call comes from the American people themselves.
(“Tea Party leaders ask voters to help draft ‘Contract
from America’” by Alex Pappas dated February 15, 2010 published by The Daily
Caller at http://dailycaller.com/2010/02/15/tea-party-leaders-ask-voters-to-help-draft-contract-from-america/
“An American
Agenda: Your Priorities for 2010 and Beyond” dated
January 22, 2010 published by Contract from America at http://www.thecontract.org/2010/01/an-american-agenda-your-priorities-for-2010-and-beyond/
“Contract
Renewal” by William Tucker dated February 17, 2010 published by The
American Spectator at http://spectator.org/archives/2010/02/17/contract-renewal
)
* There is so much published each week that unless you search for it, you will miss important breaking news. I try to package the best of this information into my “Views on the News” each Saturday morning. Individual issue updates this week include:
· Civil Rights at http://returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/civilrights.php
· Energy at http://returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/energy.php
· Environment at http://returntocommonsensesite.com/dp/environment.php
David Coughlin
Hawthorne, NY