Maybe it is human nature to pick a side in a “battle” and then view facts through the foggy lens of that side of the debate. There are ideologues and Kool Aide drinkers on both sides of the political spectrum. Our leaders in the White House and Congress need to start being intellectually honest with the American People. The reason that many Americans and Tea Party participants are distrustful of politicians on both sides of the isle is that we see that many Republicans standing up for fiscal responsibility now that did not do so when it was their congress and their president with the excessive spending. Democrats that whined about the irresponsibility of the budget under Bush are now unable to find the political courage to cut spending themselves and have in fact increased spending.
Well the game is over. Our debt and our deficit are now at levels that are not only unsustainable, they are dangerous. Medicare and Social Security are unfunded and going to be out of money in the next decade. Also in the next decade the interest on our massive debt will take up more of our budget than national defense. The amount of money that we owe China could compromise decisions for our national interests as we become beholden to the will of our lenders.
The wisdom of our founding fathers has long been ignored by both parties. And it is these founding principles that have made America the strongest, most prosperous country on Earth for generations.
Thomas Jefferson said “We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debt, as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our calling and our creeds…[we will] have no time to think, no means of calling our miss-managers to account but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers… And this is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for[ another]… till the bulk of society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery… And the fore-horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression.”
Leaders from the right or left or both need to find the courage to admit to the American people that our course of Government taking care all aspects of citizens’ lives is not only unsustainable, it puts our country in danger. No politician wants to take on the albatross of Social Security or Medicare reform. No leader hungry for re-election and approval points wants to cut government programs that have promised money and financial security to future generations. But it is a lie. The money will not be there. The same is true of unions in the public and private sector. They have promised billions in pensions that have no source of funding.
The responsibility also lies with the people. We have to be willing to stand up and say that we will take care of our own futures, our families and our communities and relieve the government of the perceived and and unfulfillable promises that were given.
We have to start now. We cannot cut healthcare or Social Security support for those already reliant on the failing system. So my generation and those not yet in the systems have to be willing to say that we will cut the cord that is strangling our budget, our economy, and our future.
If political leaders will not have the courage to tell Americans the truth then regular Americans who see the path that we are will stand up and yell from the mountaintop until we are heard. Movements like the Tea Party are just a reflection of the fact that many Americans have not been fooled into believing that bigger government can or will keep this nation prosperous and free. We have read the history books and we know what happens when government tries to be all things to all people. We can do math and we realize that America is truly in danger and on a path that leads to national bankruptcy. If yelling from the mountain top does not work then we will excise through the ballot box those politicians who refuse to speak the truth or follow the courage of their convictions. We will replace them with leaders who will do the hard thing, the right thing. I don’t care if those leaders have a (D) or an (R) next to their names. I only care that they care about America more than their own political power.
Jamie Bryant
Chris Perez
Where Red and Blue Americans Find Common Ground 
I share your sentiments…and found greatness in the "tea-party" movement because for the first time since America's revolt against 'New Coke', regular people…hardworking, taxpaying, god fearing, (gun-toting) Americans…the so called silent majority…are no longer remaining silent. It makes me proud of MY generation of 30 somethings that are finally doing something. Politicians, by nature, are cowards and theives. The reigns must be held tight or tyranny will reign.
Well done, Jamie! I agree whole-heartedly! At least I think I do – when it comes to voting for a Democrat. ;-D I want the people in charge to care about America no matter what side of the aisle they come from.
One of the reasons Health Care Reform is on the agenda is because of that very debt. Medicare and Medicaid spending are projected to overtake GDP by 2030 or thereabouts. IIRC (more even, than Social Security or Military). Without severe cost reductions in the healthcare arena, the US just won't be able to support those programs. While I tend to agree that the debt has to come down, the keynesien view in deep recessions is that the Government is the only entity with both the power and duty to inject enough money into the system to forestall economic contraction/deflation/stagflation. Since Supply-side economics didn't do much for the country except make a few rich richer, I don't know if we'll see a Democrat embrace it's tenets any time soon. I think we're in for a long haul before we'll see a strong economy *and* a surplus (such as the one under Clinton, who arguably didn't create that situation, but at least didn't squander it)
I believe that if the private sector, not the government were enabled to get us out of the recession through free market principles, the recession might be deeper initially, but the recovery would be sustained and more powerful than artificially propping up up the economy thorugh government spending> Jons created out of growth in the private sector last long past when government subsidies of the economy would and tax incentives and tax cuts don't add as much to our ridiculous debt as government payrool bloating and all the jobs created, saved or imagined by this "stimulous".
eRazOr – Blah blah blah… Its called "No Pain, No Gain"…in order to get out of this shit state we are in we have to SACRIFICE SOMETHING!!! What are you willing to sacrifice? My guess is: Nothing. I am willing to give up my social security and my medicare if I am assured that my kids dont have to pay into the disgusting waste of resources that is BIG GOV. It really is very simple – get out of my way…let us all achieve or fail based on our own abilities. The world needs ditch diggers too….Help the helpless…to HELL with the clueless.
Here Here! Good job! Good to see your generation actively voicing your concerns of how this President is destroying the future of OUR America. Fact is, the man who now holds the highest office in the land, cares nothing about the concerns of the citizens of this country. I agree we have a long haul ahead of us. The reality is that the American people have ALREADY delivered a devastating vote of no-confidence to President Obama at every opportunity, since the August recess town hall meeting explosions. Just this past week, students at the University of California at Berkley rioted over cuts of $2.5 billion in the bankrupt states higher education budget. Young Americans who delivered the 2008 election to Obama, have defeated in droves, and are facing a no-future prospect with anger, that is now boiling over into rage. If you thought the Spring 1968 Boomer generation campus explosions were serious business, wait to see what erupts as students are hit with massive cutbacks, cancelled credit lines, and real unemployment and underemployment figures between 20-30 percent. I end with this statement: President Obama's crimes dwarf those of Richard Nixon.
OBAMA LIE #1: "No federal dollars will be used to fund abortions." THE TRUTH: Obama's plan will likely mirror Harry Reid's amendment to HR 3590 which has a Section that reads: "Abortions for Which Public Funding Is Allowed. — The services described in this subparagraph are abortions for which the expenditure of Federal funds appropriated for the Department of Health and Human Services is permitted." The Washington Times reported: "You can't get more explicit than that." And FactCheck.org exposed Obama's lie too: "Despite what Obama said, the House bill would allow abortions to be covered by a federal plan and by federally subsidized private plans." So President Obama lied, plain and simple. OBAMA LIE #2: "I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits either now or in the future. Period." THE TRUTH: The Democrat controlled Congressional Budget Office said Obamacare would add $220 billion to the deficit over 10 years, but will not succeed at shrinking the overall costs of our nation's health care. Republicans claim it's more like $600 billion increased deficit spending. (Confirmed by Associated Press, 9 Sep 09.) Either way, Obama lied. OBAMA LIE #3: "Don't pay attention to those scary stories about how your benefits will be cut…That will never happen on my watch. I will protect Medicare." THE TRUTH: The Washington Post reports Obama proposes "to squeeze more than $500 billion out of the growth of Medicare over the next decade….[which has] fueled fears that his effort to expand coverage to millions of younger, uninsured Americans will damage elder care. As a result, barely one-third of seniors support a health-care overhaul, several polls found." (Washington Post, 9 Aug 09) Even the Post admits, Obama lied. OBAMA LIE #4: "If you lose your job or change your job, you will be able to get coverage." THE TRUTH: Whether working or not, rich or poor, you will be ordered to get mandatory government-run health-care coverage, or pay a fine a $3800 fine per family, under the new Senate plan being railroaded through the finance committee by Max Baucus (D-MT). (New York Times, 9 Sep 09). Obama pretends you're "able" to get coverage, when he knows it's mandatory (with a big tax increase or "fine" penalty). Obama lied. But the biggest of all… OBAMA LIE #5: "The claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens, such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple." [Note that Obama accused us of lying, first.] THE TRUTH: Money incentives for "end of life" counseling in Pelosi's HR 3962 included pressuring counseling to the elderly, giving doctors a monetary incentive to persuade you to sign a "do not resuscitate" (DNR) order to pull the plug on Grandma, just like the Obama administration already pressures all Veterans to sign them. (Confirmed by the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, read extensive details at http://www.prayinjesusname.org.) And under the British NHS government-run health plan, "Patients with terminal illnesses are being made to die prematurely under an NHS scheme to help end their lives, leading doctors have warned." (The Daily Telegraph, 2 Sep 09). Dr. Ewing Cook just admitted intentionally killing patients who signed DNR authorizations during Hurricane Katrina. "I gave her medicine so I could get rid of her faster…there's no question I hastened her demise." Bottom line: Grandma, don't sign Obama's DNR order, even if your doctor gets a bonus check from the President for talking you into that. Obama lied at least five times during his speech.