The Conservative Edge

There is an old Biblical proverb that says there is nothing new under the sun; things that are happening now have happened before (if you’re curious, read Ecclesiastes chapter one, verses 9 and 10).

That proverb has come to mind this week as I scanned a few articles in my local newspaper. I read about the proposals for health care reform, and legislation that will redefine or clarify abortion rights. I felt like I was reading articles from 1993. If you recall, it was Bill Clinton who, along with Hillary, attempted a massive overhaul of the American health care system. Clinton also endeavored to expand abortion services, and appropriate government funding for those services.

But during the election of 1992, Clinton had campaigned on economic issues. America had been in a mild recession, but statistics were showing that the economy was slowly recovering. However, the Democratic candidate painted a gloomy picture of our financial health, and promised quick action to stimulate our economy. His picture was indeed gloomy enough, and he was promptly elected.

Fast forward to 2008. As our nation faced a severe recession, Barack Obama promised to put thousands of Americans to work rebuilding our infrastructure. He also vowed to give a “quick Jolt” to the economy. But, like Clinton, Obama changed his priorities once he was sworn in to office. We now see the real goals set by the Democrats and liberals: higher taxes, increased regulation of banks and industry, health care reform, and abortion legislation.

It looks like Americans are going to recover in spite of the government, not because of it. There is still a lack of focus on job creation, which would stimulate the economy more than all the new regulations and taxes combined. Job prospects are still bleak. In my area of Ohio, for instance, there is the threat of closure of several public libraries. Voters will soon be deciding on whether to approve additional property taxes that will keep most library branches open. You know things are bad when public libraries have to shut down. But it’s like that all across the state.

I’m hoping that Obama will realize that the government should provide an environment for growth and innovation. When more people work, they buy more goods and contribute more revenue. But Obama’s efforts are going toward the taxation of the fewer Americans who are still working to create wealth. Many experts ridiculed the idea of “trickle-down” economics. If Obama isn’t careful, he will completely shut off the trickle we have left.