Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Obama's Package Deal of Change for the American People

Obama's stimulus plan is the largest in American history. With it's largeness and vast demands on the American people, I would have hoped that our representatives would have taken the care to investigate it's contents. But, none of them had the time to read the "catalog" of "perks" to stimulate our economy. One should question such tactics of expediency when the costs is so vast and the changes so deep. Is this why the American people, as well as, their representatives were not fully informed? Is there knowledge that we wouldn't support billions of dollars being spent on "pork". And now, they are talking about another stimulus package, hardly before the other one got out the door!

Make no mistake, government has changed and become an entity itself, which distances government from its people. Lincoln's call for a government "for the people and by the people", has little resemblence to this adminstration, so far. Surely, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s call for his children to be known not by the color of their skin, but by their character, would be a good dose of medicine for our leaders today!

Why does anyone think that leadership means that one can do what one wants, even demanding others to change their lifestyles, for the "greater good" and all the while, leaders never changing theirs? I thought leadership was first and foremost about representation and example? I guess I have an old fashioned view of leadership, that doesn't "work" in the real world. Today's leader must know how to lead change and expect those who are called to change, to resist. But, the leader is taught how to "comfort", "console", "support", and yet, they are not nor will they do what they require others to do! Change, and leadership is built on the business model and they use the "character model" for those who are "different" kinds of leaders!!! This is outright hypocrisy! There should be another Revolution against taxation without representation!!! Have we been informed about the details?

Yes, we have heard all the "dark scenario" that will transpire if someting drastic isn't done and done quickly...was this a way to "pull the wool over our eyes, so that us "dumb", "ill informed" folk" will just sit quietly by and pay their dues, so that others can live their lavish lifestyles and not pay their taxes!!!?

We had hoped, yes, that change meant that we would be important enough to be considered. We thought that our government was about "us", but we have been sorely mistaken. We have lost our government when government official tout their concern over our deficit, but fly our government jets to Williamburg to discuss policy issues.

What concerns me is how so soon after the election, many promises seems to have been only promises. Now, that reality has set in, promises are no more. We are given doomsday prophecies and a dire view of our future.

The American people need to be informed, and not placated, patronized, or patently ignored...

2 comments:

Michael Ogden said...

A primary tool of government is fear.

We were told we must kill people thousands of miles away in order to protect ourselves. This resulted in a massive transfer of dollars from working Americans into the the pockets of a few.

Now the economic sky is falling and the only way to protect ourselves is once again to allow a massive transfer of wealth through the devaluation of the dollar.

It's time we ignored our government's efforts to scare us, but of course that will not happen. We are too afraid.

Angie Van De Merwe said...

Mike,
I do recognize that there are many decisions that our government makes that falls short of the "ideal". But, presidents are dependent on those around them to inform them of specifics. It is impossible for the president to be in on all the details of every situation in the whole world! Micro-managing is an impossibility!

The military are at the command of the president and Congress. We do have means of balancing power, but that doesn't mean that we always will do the right thing. Money does drive politics and the world. This is why the people who have the money have "more say" through the "lobbyists" than the average "joe". But, then again, how many average "joes" really care about what is happening on the "whole world scene".

I don't attempt to say I understand all the complexities of every nation's problems, that is for the diplomats, and ambassadors and Congressmen to address. But, I also know that we have a nation that for the most part allows us "freedom to choose" our religion, our vocation, and our lifestyle!!! That is truly taken for granted by many Americans. And that is why the military is sometimes not respected or appreciated. The military are the police for our nation's interest. And our interest sometimes conflicts with other nations interest. That is just politics...

So, do we give up on our nation's ideals, or do we encourage ourselves and one another in those "ideals" so that we will be and become more informed and more active in our political process, holding others accountable and taking responsiblity, which our country not just allows, but needs!!!