1Declaration: Free Markets, Free People, Free Minds

Today I am starting a multipart series on the problems facing America today and what can be done to face these problems head on without further sacrificing the future our the next generation.

Today voters are left wondering why nothing has gotten fixed, why things seem to keep getting worse no matter how many programs we enact, and why our privacy is always under threat from the intrusions of government (look no further than the much criticized program of flag@whitehosue.gov that has since been canceled under enormous public outcry). The same politicians who were telling us during the Bush administration that it was American to protest the administration (a position I firmly agree with) are now telling us that it is now "un-American" to question our leaders and offer dissenting views. The same people who put us in this mess in the first place are the very same people telling us that they can pull us out by doing more of the same: more spending, more taxes, more entitlements, more central banking, more fiat money, more (...well you fill in the blank...) .

The Obama Administration was waved into the White House to fix the problems that the Bush Administration created. He promised a change that we had not seen in decade with promises to make Washington more transparent, to veto earmarks, to protect the rights of the individual, to reduce the national deficit, and to once again make government work for the people rather than special interests. Nothing it appears have changed and the only change we have seen is to dramatically increase the national debt, the further threatening of the the Liberty of the individual, and the continual devaluation of the US dollar.

I still contend that liberals whom like to call themselves Progressives were upset at the Bush Administration because he outspent them, increased welfare rolls faster than they had in recent years, and removed personal Liberties faster than they could dream of. Now that the Democrats are back in charge they have ramped up their efforts to do the same. By in large Obama has chosen to continue many of the same Bush administration policies. Lets do a little comparison. Please note that this list in non-inclusive.

Bush

• Supported the bailout of the financial system
• Increased the tax rate on future generation by increasing the national debt
• Enhanced security by removing individual Liberties to protect individual Liberties (sounds impossible doesn't it)
  
• "I have abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system." 12/16/08 GWB
• Continuation of the Federal Reserve and the devaluation of the dollar through the support of a fiat monetary policy

Obama

• Supported the bailout of the economy and the financial system totaling over $1.5 trillion combined
• Increased the tax rate on future generation by increasing the national debt faster than all previous presidents combined
• Enhances security by destroying individual Liberties to protect individual Liberty (health care, card check, not to mention a continuation of warrantless wiretapping of citizens)
• Appoints Ben Bernanke, a Bush administration appointee, to the chairman of the Fed to continue to devalue the dollar and expand government

Change is in the eye of the beholder. I guess with some will call the accomplishment of Barack Obama a change because he has dramatically increased many of the same policies of the Bush administration that Democrats had been criticizing and further enslaving future generations to a life of high taxes, a stagnant economy, a worthless dollar, and joblessness due to the greed and selfishness of the current generation for more security in their own life, be it physical or social.

So how can we fix the problems? Are Republicans really the answer or are they another part of the problem? If not the Republicans, then where can voters turn going forward?

To be continued...