And Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From Bad Government

It is time for the President, the governors of the fifty states, the U.S. Congress and state legislatures to speak the whole truth, or at least acknowledge it. Only a fool would deny that America’s national debt is not only out of control, but relentlessly dragging the nation down a road that leads to financial ruin for us and our children.

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Being right trumps compromise and bipartisanship, not some of the time but always, even when both sides promise to negotiate in good faith, good faith being irrelevant if it results in increased spending and higher taxes, no matter how bipartisan the negotiations are, or noble the effort.

The liberal Democrats are partners with the labor unions, so naturally they support and draw support from each other. But when the public sector unions’ pay and benefits are significantly higher than those of the private sector, this out of kilter condition requires that the President or the Governor of a state be a man or woman of great courage, courageous enough to face the situation straight on, to publicly call it what it really is, and take whatever action is appropriate to bring things back into positive alignment, weather they are Democrat or Republican .

This great nation was founded upon shared sacrifice, the signers of the Declaration of Independence mutually pledging, “Our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” This pledge of shared sacrifice left no room for the government to use budget deficits as an excuse to crush the working man and his protective labor unions, but neither were the unions given license to unfairly use their bargaining power to take advantage of — and financially defraud — the public.

Unfortunately the events in Wisconsin could become a template for other states to follow, starting with teachers and state employees walking off their jobs, causing all sorts of civil unrest and disruption, in some cases their actions breaking the law, without concern for the horrible example they are setting for the nation’s children, those who will one day be running this nation.

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Of course in government it is always tempting to seize a new crisis and use it for political gain. Wisconsin’s woes have proven especially tempting to this administration, so much so it seems that the President is hard pressed to remain neutral. As a result he has ignored his own out of control debt crisis and is instead adding fuel to the fire beneath Wisconsin’s boiling cauldron, in some cases even encouraging state employees to break the law by illegally walking off their jobs.

The financial and budgetary proposals the President is trying to persuade Congress to implement are not working, things such as destroying the rich to help the poor. Exporting these failed half measures to the States will only complicate very difficult situations caused by already out of control spending and a lack of courageous leadership. An imposition of new taxes will not solve the States’ debt problems either.

But left alone and encouraged the States are able to solve their own problems. This is the nature of the American experience — self reliance and hard work. Our forefathers solved their own problems, problems much more difficult than balancing the budget and scheduling debt reduction, and so can we.

Now is the time for the President to call off his political dogs, those trained to rush in for the political kill, to draw blood and rend flesh, without thought as to the consequences. The Democratic National Committee need not arrange more transportation to bring professional agitators and community organizers into the struggle in Wisconsin. The President’s personal “Hit Men,” his Organization for America, need to be leashed and led back to their kennels.

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If ever there were a time to speak the truth to power at all levels of government, it is now. Yes, our national and state debt is out of control, and if we have any leaders left, now is the time for them to step up, speak up, and take charge, not as Democrats and Republicans, but as Americans.

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