A NATION ON THE BRINK?

On Tuesday, January 20, 2009 Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America. For many Americans this will be the most significant political event since “Camelot”. For many others it is the epitome of symbolism over substance.

The presidential rhetoric is over and America has elected a new leader. I have never been a fan of Barack Obama and I have always been suspect of his political background from the very beginning. The current political climate in Illinois has a sitting Governor involved in a play for pay scandal for Obama’s U.S. Senate seat. I am amazed that Barack Obama has no knowledge of the inner workings of this corrupt group of politicians and their constituents considering that he is the off spring of this corrupt political machine. You don’t go from obscure state politician to obscure U.S. Senator to President of the United States without someone fast tracking your career. His associations with Governor Blagojevich, Mayor Daley, William Ayers, Tony Rezko, Barry Diller, David Katzenberg, David Geffen, David Axelrod and George Soros among others has always been suspect but always under played by the media. I will abstain from commenting about Obama spending twenty plus years under the spiritual tutelage of hate monger Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

All this said I hope with all of my heart that my suspicions are unfounded and Barack Obama becomes the greatest president that America has ever known. Regardless of our political affiliations or our distrust of the current political climate, the fact is we are a nation in turmoil both morally and economically. We desperately need someone to lead us out of this maze of indecision and inequity. In our lifetime there has never been a president entering office at a more tumultuous time than now and no president has been handicapped with any greater expectations than Mr. Obama. People are expecting miracles from this man but unless you are laboring under some messianic delusion you know that it will take years to dig ourselves out of this hole. Wholesale changes must be made and they must be made now! This on going bail out of the “free market” has become status quo. Bail outs have become tantamount to social security. Everybody should be entitled!

All Americans need to understand one basic economic principle: THE FREE MARKET (FM) WORKS. The FM is the basis for our entire economic structure and is 100% responsible for our economic success. Politicians cannot manipulate the FM and expect it to continue functioning in a productive manner. Manipulation of the FM by politicians is parallel to putting a condom on the economy. If it can no longer function in the manner in which it was designed its output diminishes. People are so quick to affix blame that they can’t wait to throw someone or somebody under the proverbial bus. If it’s not GM, Ford or Chrysler it’s the UAW or Exxon, BP, Chevron or Standard Oil. For some reason the American public always needs a scapegoat for their unresolved problems. Many may feel that this is an over simplification of the current crisis but here is the answer. THE FREE MARKET WORKS. If you consistently make bad management decisions, you fail. If you make an inferior product or one that nobody wants, you fail. It’s really quite simple yet we can’t seem to accept this premise, especially when it affects us directly. We have become accustomed to instant gratification. We want it fixed now and we do not want any inconvenience or pain associated with the healing process. If we allowed the automakers to go bankrupt that would require them to make the appropriate filings with the bankruptcy court and after all was said and done they would come out of bankruptcy much leaner and meaner than they went in. They would again become a viable pillar of the FM. This is also applicable to the Wall St. firms who have been propped up with tax dollars. I realize that in the process many Americans would lose their jobs but the end would justify the means. Eventually we would come back stronger and more viable than ever. Unfortunately this will never happen because it is far too painful and by no means instant.

This is why I hope Barack Obama will become the greatest president in history. Anyone who does not wish this man the very best in his future endeavors is a fool. Without a strong and steady hand on the ship of state we are more than likely to sail into uncharted waters from where we may not return.