President Obama has one view of government. Senator Marco Rubio and Dr. Ben Carson have another.
In his State of the Union message last week, the President outlined his proposals to fix the economy, create jobs, encourage more growth and to provide for every conceivable problem that the nation faces. Our purpose is not to comment on his specific policies but to question his approach to governing.
President Obama is apparently of the view that the Federal Government should be involved in every phase of our lives. From birth to adolescence and to our working and senior years, the government "would be there" if the President had his way.
In our last post, we described the role of the Federal Government as limited to the powers enumerated in the Constitution and granted to it by the people. Our founding fathers would be rather bewildered if they could witness the present scope of our government and how the President would like to expand it even further. They may even ponder as to why there is little attention given our large national debt and the absence of a formal budget both of which should be legitimate concerns of Washington DC.
The President's policies relying on unprecedented expenditures to improve the economy have not worked and may have diminished the general welfare, not improved it. We cannot remain on this path without significant degradation of our standard of living and our role in a world that is increasingly interdependent. It is we the people that should initiate the necessary changes by choosing leaders who represent us, not established power, just as it is intended in the Constitution.
Senator Rubio's background as the son of Cuban immigrants is well known. In his response to President Obama's State of the Union's speech, he emphasized the blessings of America where all, including immigrants, had a chance to improve their lot. That result is possible because our country is based on individual freedom and the opportunity to advance through hard work, determination and individual merit.
Dr. Ben Carson was raised by a single mother in Detroit. Despite significant hardship and with his mother's unrelenting support and guidance plus his own hard work and determination, he is now director of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins. In a speech at the White House prayer breakfast recently, he talked of the need for a tax system that doesn't seek to "hurt" those who are successful. Their money could be better used "---building our infrastructure and creating jobs". On health care, he favors the use of "health savings accounts" where individuals are in charge of their own health care "---instead of sending all this money to some bureaucracy".
Many of us, like Senator Rubio and Dr. Carson, are not children of privilege but children of opportunity. We know the promise of America. We celebrate success; we don't envy it. We believe in individual rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness granted by our Creator. We believe that government should serve the people and not the people serve the government.
Our governing principles should be based on the Constitution and the laws duly enacted under it. Results are important but it is process that defines us. The process of governing should be based on the limited authority granted to government by the people under the Constitution. It should not be based on capricious and arbitrary dictates of a governing elite. For we, and our leaders, live in a country of laws and not of men. And it is more honorable to be honest than to be clever.
In his State of the Union message last week, the President outlined his proposals to fix the economy, create jobs, encourage more growth and to provide for every conceivable problem that the nation faces. Our purpose is not to comment on his specific policies but to question his approach to governing.
President Obama is apparently of the view that the Federal Government should be involved in every phase of our lives. From birth to adolescence and to our working and senior years, the government "would be there" if the President had his way.
In our last post, we described the role of the Federal Government as limited to the powers enumerated in the Constitution and granted to it by the people. Our founding fathers would be rather bewildered if they could witness the present scope of our government and how the President would like to expand it even further. They may even ponder as to why there is little attention given our large national debt and the absence of a formal budget both of which should be legitimate concerns of Washington DC.
The President's policies relying on unprecedented expenditures to improve the economy have not worked and may have diminished the general welfare, not improved it. We cannot remain on this path without significant degradation of our standard of living and our role in a world that is increasingly interdependent. It is we the people that should initiate the necessary changes by choosing leaders who represent us, not established power, just as it is intended in the Constitution.
Senator Rubio's background as the son of Cuban immigrants is well known. In his response to President Obama's State of the Union's speech, he emphasized the blessings of America where all, including immigrants, had a chance to improve their lot. That result is possible because our country is based on individual freedom and the opportunity to advance through hard work, determination and individual merit.
Dr. Ben Carson was raised by a single mother in Detroit. Despite significant hardship and with his mother's unrelenting support and guidance plus his own hard work and determination, he is now director of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins. In a speech at the White House prayer breakfast recently, he talked of the need for a tax system that doesn't seek to "hurt" those who are successful. Their money could be better used "---building our infrastructure and creating jobs". On health care, he favors the use of "health savings accounts" where individuals are in charge of their own health care "---instead of sending all this money to some bureaucracy".
Many of us, like Senator Rubio and Dr. Carson, are not children of privilege but children of opportunity. We know the promise of America. We celebrate success; we don't envy it. We believe in individual rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness granted by our Creator. We believe that government should serve the people and not the people serve the government.
Our governing principles should be based on the Constitution and the laws duly enacted under it. Results are important but it is process that defines us. The process of governing should be based on the limited authority granted to government by the people under the Constitution. It should not be based on capricious and arbitrary dictates of a governing elite. For we, and our leaders, live in a country of laws and not of men. And it is more honorable to be honest than to be clever.
Very good thoughts Norm. I especially enjoyed your last sentence. Made me think: what would you wish a person to say about "you" at your funeral? Would "you" rather be remembered as an honorable man or a cleaver one?
ReplyDeleteHonorable or charismatic? Man of "his" word or one who knowingly spreads falsehoods? If our past presidents had all governed, one after another, after another.....in the manner Obama has governed, our great country would have fallen long ago. My definition of liberalism/progressives is this: a political thought process by which fact and reality cannot be separated from ideology and fantasy. Again, great thoughts Norm.....KD