A CLear and Present Danger

To The Editor:
It is said people vote their wallets in elections. For sure in this economy. They also vote key interests (entitlements, pro-life, pro-choice, etc.) Some vote emotionally, for the “most likeable” candidate or vague notions like hope. President Obama’s 2008 victory involved much emotional voting. We face an economic calamity. It’s time to set aside self-interest and emotion, electing the candidate most likely to restore our economic vitality. Survival and our way of life are at stake. Re-electing Obama, poses a clear and present danger in this regard. In at least four areas: The debt/deficit, health care, energy and foreign policy.
Debt exceeds our total economic output. Deficits surpass one trillion dollars/yr. Despite this, he plans more “investments” (spending, borrowing, taxing) for social justice, and dubious “jobs” programs. Danger: Our credit rating is downgraded; the Fed’s printing more money, lowering the dollar’s value, which encourages inflation. A debt-loaded nightmare is being dumped on future generations.
Obamacare:. Obama seems intent on driving private health-insurance firms out of business. Then he’ll “rescue” us with a single-payer, all-government program. Danger: Leads to doctor shortages, higher costs, declining quality of care and care rationing. Power-wise, it gives him control over more than one-sixth of our economy. Private insurers need the go-ahead to compete across state lines, driving costs down, and limiting government’s role.
Energy: Obama’s EPA assaults coal and coal-fired electric generation (about 40 percent of our power) via regulation. It’s unfriendly toward fossil fuels. This will make electric bills skyrocket (Obama’s words). Why? So his pricey, pet “green” renewables (wind and solar) can compete cost-wise. He doesn’t get that wind and solar are only incremental or supplemental sources of electric power…can’t begin to provide the nation’s 24/7/365 demand, now from fossil fuels, nuclear or hydro. Danger: He has no energy plan for future demand or lowering costs.
Foreign policy: His naïve policy projects weakness. Danger: In a competitive, scary world weakness creates opportunity for adversaries to best us in the global marketplace. It encourages terrorists (a dead ambassador and three other Americans) despite Mr. Obama‘s claims terrorism in on the wane. Presidential hugs for the Arab-Muslim world generate contempt, not love, with riots at our embassies and “death to America” hatred. Appeasement, a dead Bin Laden and drone strikes don’t qualify as foreign policy, foster leadership or respect. On growth: Obama’s anti-free-market-capitalism, inhibits growth and recovery. He likes government-driven economics. No surprise at his poor performance. Even a casual look at his background reveals how unequipped he is for his job. He’s a politician, nothing more.
Mitt Romney’s successful 25 years in the tough, results-oriented world of business and proven skill at turning bad situations around, economic know-how and the will to bring needed reforms, qualifies him as man-of-the-hour for the Oval Office. Romney supports free market capitalism. It made this country an economic powerhouse, job creator, and funding source for defense, social safety nets and many other needs. Obama lacks skill or serious intent to reform entitlements. Romney will protect those on or nearing Social Security/Medicare. He knows these and other programs won’t be around for future generations without fiscal reforms. We’re broke! Caution: Second-term Obama may be an imperial presidency, as he bypasses Congress, Constitution and inconvenient laws, via executive orders and regulatory agencies.
Can’t wait for Congress. He says they block his “good” ideas. But isn’t the problem Obama’s poor leadership and negotiating skills and lack of will to bend? Other presidents, like Reagan and Clinton, faced similar opposition. Through leadership, they gave us results not excuses.
BOB LOVELL
Court House