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Brian4Liberty
01-18-2010, 01:22 PM
http://septvote.blogspot.com/2010/01/its-all-about-spending.html


Saturday, January 16, 2010
It's all about the spending

Fiscal Responsibility

What does it mean to be truly fiscally responsible? There can be no doubt that it includes strict budget control, and never spending more than we have. The primary goal of present day fiscal responsibility must be spending reductions. In government, Republicans and Democrats alike have been on a no limit shopping spree with Uncle Sam's credit card, and Uncle Sam doesn't make money: he takes it from all of us. Every dollar spent by the government comes out of the taxpayer's pocket in one way or another. Even when the government creates money out of thin air, they are still taking your money: excess money creation results in inflation, which makes every dollar in your pocket, and every dollar in your next paycheck, worth less. The inflation tax hurts the working poor more than it does the rich. A reduction in spending and earning power is far more painful for people that live from paycheck to paycheck. No one is spared, rich or poor, Democrat or Republican. Inflation hurts all of us.

The only solution is to reduce government spending in all areas. We can not play favorites. The game of advocating spending reductions in one area, and increased spending in our favorite areas has to end. This is a non-partisan issue.

Supporting our troops

In light of a limited Federal Budget, how do we best support our troops? When our troops must be used, we want them to be the best trained, armed and supplied military in the world. But how about deployment? Can budget dollars be saved by reducing our overseas military activity? When asked recently about the use of our troops around the world, a 93 year old WWII veteran used very colorful language to object to putting our troops in harm's way for nation building and policing the world. This was born of real world experience in war; of losing friends and comrades. This member of the greatest generation was adamant about the prudent and conservative use of our troops. In today's political climate, it takes some courage to oppose the constant calls for troop deployment. But considering the goals of limiting Federal spending, and utilizing our troops in the most wise and effective way, it makes sense to revisit US foreign policy.

US Senate candidate Chuck DeVore (R-CA) recently wrote an Op-Ed piece titled "(the) Right should fashion (it's) own foreign policy". Several points were made regarding recent foreign policy positions:

"Conservatives spent the Clinton administration years largely in opposition to his frequent overseas deployments."

A very good point. During the Clinton administration, the conservative position was to oppose nation building and policing the world. This included the undeclared war on Serbia. As a result, George W. Bush successfully used the humble foreign policy position as part of his first election campaign:

"George W. Bush came to power in 2001 calling for an end to Clinton's open-ended nation-building commitments."

Barrack Obama also won an election calling for an end to the post-war US military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Post-war due to the fact that the armies and governments of those countries had already been defeated). But President Obama succumbed to politics (and the military-industrial complex), and went back on those promises that were so popular with the majority of Americans. The past two Presidents, one Republican, and one Democrat, have won their first Presidential campaigns based on campaign promises to limit and conserve the use of our military.

"As a result of culture and geography, Mr. Obama's Afghan surge will likely fall short of its objectives while spending $40 billion per year. Employing conventional forces in pursuit of terrorists and guerrilla forces is always an expensive proposition. Attempting to build nations on soil not yet fertile to the concepts of democracy and national unity is even more problematic."

DeVore is correct in that it is time to review our budget and our foreign policy; a review of what is effective, prudent, and conservative. With massive unemployment, a recession/depression and rapidly growing, astronomical government debt, can we afford expanding our foreign nation building costs, and continue to put US military personnel in harm's way? In the opinion of a WWII veteran, the answer is a resounding "no".

Brian4Liberty
01-18-2010, 04:47 PM
YouTube - Obama Promise To End The War, 2007 - "You Can Take That To The Bank" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LsSppYxSHk)

YouTube - The George Bush You Forgot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9SOVzMV2bc)

Brian4Liberty
01-19-2010, 01:22 PM
Bringing home the troops sells. Obama and Bush both used it to a certain extent to win the first time around. It's obvious that the majority of Americans agree with it.