It will be a very great day in America when criticism of a black president can be accepted as just that, criticism, not racism, and I hope you look upon this essay as just that.
Obama ran his candidacy on the premise that America had a failed system and that we needed change; but in this humble person's belief, I see this presidency promoting the most radical, left-wing government in our history as it attaches individualism, the heart of our democracy at every level.
We are fighting two wars, losing thousands of cherished loved ones and crippling many more brave men and women; we have a financial crisis as banks fail, as industries fail, as unemployment rises, creating financial problems for states, cities and towns. We have millions losing their homes, living in tent cities, and most who have jobs cannot afford a home.
While this is going on our leaders in Washington keep solving these problems with more taxes put on the backs of middle-class Americans already struggling to meet their needs through hard work.
The Cap and Trade bill, according to the Treasury Department, will cost $200 billion and raise average Americans' energy bills by $1,761 yearly.
President Obama is proposing 71 different, new welfare programs at an estimated cost of $800 billion and a projected cost over the next decade of $10 trillion.
His administration is proposing a Value Added Tax (VAT) that in some industrial nations is as high as 25 percent added to the cost of goods, but not seen at the cash register when purchases are made. Along with this tax they propose a financial transaction tax that will cost Americans another $100 to $150 billion a year.
Taxes on soda, on health insurance, on incomes — taxes on just about everything to share the wealth for everyone — socialism, that dreaded word — progressive liberalism for all. Welcome to change.
The current health care program in Washington is our attempt to have what other nations have; but in all the talk, nothing is really done about the cost.
Germany, which has health care, taxes its citizens at the rate of 14.9 percent of income and is now facing problems to maintain this health insurance. France has health care and taxes citizens as high as 50 percent of income to support health care and is facing problems.
It is not possible to provide health care for 30 million more Americans, not increase the budget deficit and allow everyone with their current insurance to experience no change. Health insurance will create enormous tax hikes, premium costs and Medicare cuts, but no one really talks about this.
The president has talked about the future, green energy, save the globe and the jobs that green energy solutions will create for Americans that will lead us down the road to new economic growth and once again a leader of the world.
Well, Mr. Obama, the world is not waiting for us to lead this new green energy age. The Shenyang Power Group of China will supply 240 of its 2.5 megawatt wind turbines for a 36,000-acre wind farm in West Texas. This project will create 2,800 new jobs, 15 percent in Texas, 85 percent in China. American green energy jobs? To top this all, the wind turbine technology China is using comes with a license from a German company. That's what Obama calls American leadership — some change.
I hope America is waking up. I hope America is not blinded by the rhetoric. Failure to look at the ramifications of these proposals could destroy what made this nation great, its philosophical principles, its moral values, its institutions that are necessary for a nation to flourish and the very fundamental foundations that made this the land of the free.
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Richard A. Astukewicz of Salisbury is a retired business manager.
