Connecting The Dots . . . Keeping News In Perspective

By Mike Kocal

Scare Tactics vs. Real Cause to be Scared

A lot of people feel that conservatives are using "scare-tactics" in their efforts to gain more power and support. Yet, we've seen this done by both sides of the aisle for decades. There are certain things that we should be scared about because the fundamentals of our great nation have been compromised, whereas changes that have already occurred and changes that might be coming are eroding our freedoms, our spending power and our futures. Yes, we should be very concerned if not outright scared.

I was scared when the Bush administration pushed through the Patriot Act. I was scared during the Bush administration when our public debt increased to then record levels. I was scared when Bush was in office, yet grateful that we were not attacked on our homeland again after 9/11. The state of our economy was as concerning at the end of the Bush era as it is today, and all the bailouts and stimulus packages being discussed months ago just sounded bad to me. I watched these bills get signed into law without our leaders even reading the bills, and then learned that our national debt went from $500-some billion to nearly $2 trillion ­ all in the brief time Obama has been in office. That scared me even more! It also made me angry.

Obama said he would not allow any pork barrel spending, that unemployment would stop going up, but we all know neither was the case. Facts are facts. The national unemployment rate is now at 9.8%, and according to Obama earlier this year, it would not rise above 8.4% so long as the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act was passed. Well, it passed, and unemployment has gone up. In fact, we continue to lose jobs, and now, the White House says we probably will maintain this trend through the end of 2010! Is this explanation a cover-up, or a lie, or a misunderstanding, or bad judgment, or manipulation, or just a mistake?

If he didn't know all the facts earlier, then why make this statement? Because he didn't know that it was as bad as it was, or did he intentionally mean to mislead us to manipulate support for the excessive spending? That's our government for you ­ they can easily make their predictions, but how often are they correct? I do not recall any recent projections made by our government on major issues and programs that were ever accurate ­ do you? Do you remember when we pulled ourselves out of a recession quickly by spending more and more and not cutting taxes? Doesn't it seem apparent that manipulation of the public has occurred before under other presidents, as well as Obama? The White House and Congress expect us to trust them and follow their plans when they can't even administer our current programs. How much government waste does it take to bury us all to the point we won't be able to dig ourselves out? Has that time come and gone, and does this scare you like it scares me?

Presently, there are less taxes being collected and more spending occurring. Another fact. The deficit will rise more and more, just like unemployment has. Then, taxes will go up more and more. Obama says middle-income Americans will not pay more in taxes, but I find it difficult to believe him or any other politician ­ Democrat or Republican. How can we keep spending when we are not collecting as much in taxes? Why would anyone trust our government anymore, and why has it gotten to this point after years and years of abuse and corruption, lies and scandals? Why do people believe Obama's rants about making fundamental changes to our country when he doesn't expressly tell us what he intends? Why do people just "follow" when there is no substance to back up what Obama says? Why isn't everyone demanding answers to some very important questions, including the media and all of his followers? They just believe it and feel so proud and trust and follow and then, they repeat what Obama spews (just like him, they cannot give substantiated answers ­ true mind-numbed followers).

Liberals like to blame Bush for all of the problems we face, and conservatives like to blame Obama. How about we start pointing the finger at ourselves? It is time Americans begin to consider what personal responsibility is and how that relates to who is in office running our country. It is up to all of us to really think ­ have the Democrats and Republicans served us well enough? Are you sick of the lies and manipulation that have been so apparent for so many years? Why do we keep electing the same types ­ a bunch of lawyers, wealthy self-serving power-hungry people? Why not elect some down-to-earth, real people? Do we just forget the issues of the past and expect our leaders to change for the better each time we re-elect them?

Let's face it - we will all be paying more taxes sooner or later, and our standard of living will continue to decline the way things are going. It does not take a politician to say otherwise for any intelligent, sensible person to realize this. The dollar's value keeps falling, and it has started to fall a great deal over the past six months. This is occurring not because of Bush, but because of all of the un-backed currency the Fed is printing, the enormous spending and output of dollars into our economic system and because our nation no longer produces much of anything except services.

Now, some mid-east countries have allegedly been in talks with Russia, China, France and others about dropping the dollar as the trading currency of oil. China and Russia have already made it public that they want to see the dollar replaced with another currency as the international fund of choice. If and when this occurs, we will get a lot more dollars back here in the US, which will lower the value even more and create hyperinflation. At this point, people will not be able to afford what they used to ­ and that includes food and housing.

We have allowed our great nation to crumble under the weight of the political schemes, lies and corruption, as well as influences from other parts of the world. I am scared that our government will gain more authority and take our liberties away since they "know what is best for us". Unfortunately, not all Americans feel this way because they feel entitled to be taken care of, or think those that work hard and are successful should be forced to contribute more, or else they are bad, greedy people. To me, this is pure Marxism or COMMUNISM. We do not answer to China or Russia, we do not answer to our President or Congress. We answer to ourselves, and our leaders answer to us. Yes, be scared and start looking back at history, because in many ways, it is repeating itself. Start standing up and tell our leaders to stop what they are doing, or face the consequences of inaction. Don't expect others to do it on your behalf because you are too busy, and don't believe everything you hear ­ whether it is from Obama himself, the media or your Marxist neighbors.

Be afraid, but start asking questions and demanding REAL answers, and do not stop until satisfied.

I think it is time for change, but I don't think Washington takes any of us seriously to be concerned. The polls speak, but the politicians don't listen ­ that is very clear. Maybe we should show Congress we mean business in 2010! It's not the politicians that make change ­ it is all of us.

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