How Much More Change Can We Stand?

Has anyone wondered lately exactly what change Obama was talking about during his campaign? What agenda he had in mind when he started declaring change for America? Do you see the change? And what particular part of the new America do you like?

As far a politics go, and the changes I’ve seen, there are many things I can’t quite get my mind wrapped around. For instance. If the Democratic led Congress wanted to truly address and handle the unemployment deficit, why wouldn’t they continue with what their fearless leader, President Obama, promulgated during his campaign? Like the $3000 tax credit for each new job created by small business. Or economic resolutions introduced by others: the other party, or individuals. Things such as reducing or eliminating the capital gains tax in order to bring additional investment into the country. Or a reduction or hiatus of the Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA or social security tax) that would immediately boost our economy and the job market. If one as low as myself on the food chain can see this working, why can’t our leaders?

Something else that befuddles me. What happened to all the hoopla over Bush going into Iraq? Shouldn’t it be transferred, transposed to Obama’s war in Afghanistan? Here you have an individual who campaigned on bringing our troops home and ending the war in the Middle East– I ask you, has that happened?

Obama doubled the troops in Afghanistan in March after being in office for only two months. Last week at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point he announced another 30,000 troops were being sent, increasing the force in Afghanistan by 50%. Now, on the Oprah Winfrey Show, he pats himself on the back for, “I think we’ve got the best possible plan for Afghanistan. We are on our way out of Iraq.”

Geez, is there a difference? What? We traded one fight for another. Is that better than Bush? To me, it sounds the same. Oh sure, there are different justifications, but let’s face it, Obama promised to get out and now he has changed his mind. Why?

Does anyone out there know we’ve had more military men and women killed in Afghanistan than we did in all of Iraq and Kuwait combined? Do you know that when the money given to the Pakistani government to control their military, which controls their nuclear weapons, is added in we’ve spent more in Afghanistan than we did Iraq? That includes feeding, housing and giving medical care to our troops in Iraq. That includes rebuilding the country. And it also includes all the bombs we used during “shock and awe”. There are also many other expenses not mentioned.

The point is, the change that everyone clamored about, was it worth it? Is there really a difference? Our country is poorer, more divided and marred in more world conflicts than we were before. Where does it end? When do we finally stand up and say no more? I say in 2010’s Congressional elections. But then again, I’m just a proletarian.

What would a pundit say? What would our esteemed President say? Well, on Sunday night President Obama gave himself a rating of B+ for his one year performance. He claimed to have made economical progress as well as international progress. I guess the latter means more people like us. They don’t want to help us, or work with us, but they like us. I’m so happy.

Obama said, “The biggest burden on me right now is that economic growth has happened, but job growth has not happened.” Duh!

Just where is the economic growth he’s referring to anyway? Housing? No. Financial markets? No. Industry? No. Transportation? No. Telecommunications? No. Could someone please explain to this poor plebe where it is?

I know a lot of small business owners: optometrists, chiropractors, dentists, orthodontists, contractors, construction company owners, et al. Nary a one is doing better. Most have cut staff and spending up to 50%. That includes myself. Banks still aren’t lending and if they were it wouldn’t matter. If the laid off employee doesn’t have money to spend, and I don’t mean borrowed money like the government, I have no one to sell my product to. So, why would I hire anyone?

There is a myriad of ways to increase the growth of private industry, hence, the growth of jobs. But unfortunately, the current Administration and the Democratic led Congress didn’t go to the same empirical school of pragmatism that the rest of us did. If one wants true change, I exhort you, go vote in 2010 and let the plutocrats know we mean business.