Dr. Robert Owens Chronicles the History of the Future

How Dumb Does He Think We Are? February 8, 2010

As the economy constricted from the latest bubble what have we done? On an individual basis unless we have an economic death wish we cut back spending, increase saving and pray we don’t get downsized, rightsized or thrown under the bus to free up capital for someone else’s bonus. As a business owner we follow the same pattern. People wonder why banks aren’t loaning money to small businesses. Don’t mistake a symptom for the disease. Banks aren’t loaning because businesses aren’t borrowing.
Businesses aren’t expanding they’re trying to survive. With the re-making of America still an enigma wrapped in a riddle on the horizon no one knows how to make an educated guess as to what the future holds. Without a clear vision of what will be required tomorrow it’s impossible to plan today. From Main Street to Wall Street people are keeping their heads down hoping if we click our heels enough times we’ll end up back in the America we know and love hoping we won’t have to admit this transparent collectivist shell game is the New Normal.
According to a Gallup poll in October of 2009 only 20 % of the country describes themselves as liberals. It’s only through deception and manipulation this minority has the power to re-make America. They don’t campaign as what they are because they know they’d lose. They always campaign as middle-of-the-road and rule as left-wing ideologues while continuing to deny that’s what they are.. Although the President and the other Progressive leaders consistently blame the Republicans for the stall in their efforts to re-make America everyone can see that it’s in-fighting among the government party that’s holding up the change. The Democrats have more than enough votes to pass anything they want if they could just agree as to what they want. These so-called public servants elbow their way to the trough with everyone against everyone else grabbing for a bigger cut of the swag, a Louisiana Purchase here and a Cornhusker Kickback there. It isn’t the legacy of George II. It’s this disgusting battle of greed and avarice is what’s restraining the enlightened from imposing the unwanted on the unsuspecting.
It’s just this uncertainty that is clouding the vision of business leaders from Mom and Pop to those at the top. While the threat of more progressive do-gooderism whether by legislation, regulation or executive order prohibits anyone from knowing which way to jump the Obama administration’s recent budget proposal proves that any talk of deficit reduction is just talk. According to President Obama and his teleprompter he never faces a single challenge that isn’t someone else’s fault and the only reason he’s mortgaging our great-great-great grandchildren to the Communist Chinese is because George made him do it. Does he really believe if he talks deficit reduction while proposing the biggest budget with the biggest deficit in history anyone is going to fall for it? The question comes to mind, how dumb does he think we are?
This budget says the answer to this question must be he thinks we’re real dumb. The proposed smoke-and-mirrors freeze on discretionary spending, something he opposed during his campaign, is like someone who’s seriously overweight saying they’re going to stop putting ketchup on their fries as if that will solve the problem. We can see this kind of logic everyday at Mickey D’s as we watch the morbidly obese order double this and extra that along with a diet soda. It may make them feel as if they’re doing something about their weight while actually moving in the wrong direction. The proposed savings of 250 billion over 10 years amounts to a rounding error in a budget of 3.5 trillion with a one year deficit of 1.35 Trillion. During the same 10 year period the National Debt is projected to grow by 9 trillion. The Congressional Budget Office Report projects yearly deficits of over one trillion dollars every year for the next decade. So in other words at best this “freeze’ merely slows the rate of growth in the future destroying national debt. Maybe we should try that with MasterCard or Visa. “Hi, I over spent by 1.5 trillion last month and now I’m cutting back, I’ll only over spend by 1.499 trillion next month that should solve the problem.” I’m guessing that wouldn’t work too well. Who would even propose such an outrageous solution? Only someone who thinks the credit card company is as dumb as a bag of hammers.
While barnstorming the country campaigning as a deficit hawk President Obama proposes the biggest budget in history consuming the largest percentage of the economy since World War II. A budget that’s clearly re-distributive in nature with huge tax hikes on the demonized rich to fund vote-buying benefits for the preferred classes. This re-making of America budget is the culmination of generations of Progressive class warfare taught in schools, promoted by unions and enshrined through legislation. The capstone of their arrogance and a statement which shows just how dumb they think we are was shamelessly shared by the third ranking Democrat in the House, majority whip James Clyburn, “We’ve got to spend our way out of this recession.” So when Visa calls and says your over your limit just tell them, “I’m going to spend my way out of this” and see if that works. Then again, nobody’s that dumb.
Dr. Owens teaches History, Political Science, and Religion for Southside Virginia Community College and History for the American Public University System. http://drrobertowens.com © 2010 Robert R. Owens dr.owens@comcast.net