Hillary and Obama are not your Conscience

People, the US Government does not exist as a kind of extra bank account for your particular problems; it is not the place you should think of when you're short on rent; it is not there to protect you from bad decisions. That is your conscience.

The Government is there to protect the United States boundaries, to enforce the Constitution we've all adopted, to protect the freedoms enumerated therein, and to provide direction to our nation's promise.

I am NOT a libertarian, and I do support many federal programs, including programs for the arts and humanities, all sorts of educational programs, science and space programs, etc. I'm not even particularly "small-government," though the $9 Trillion debt Bush has saddled us with is obscene, and we have to reduce it.

There are many good things we now ask the Government to handle. In the course of our national dialogue, we have decided that the government will provide safety-nets for businesses and individuals, depending on the mood of the electorate and the ideologies of the governing politicians. This is fine, in my opinion, and I'm all in favor of a rational, limited, and fiscally-responsible continuation of the same.

However: I'm extremely concerned that Republicans and Democrats alike believe that the Government should be bailing all of us out for our poor decisions. I'm in favor of Government assistance to all those in need, but I don't count Wall Street private equity firms and middle-class over-spenders as "those in need." They are people in need of a reality check. I didn't buy a $500,000 home when I "could" have, because I think it would have been ridiculous: I mean, yes, I could make the payments in the short term, and could continue the ARM payments if I got a raise--but I didn't do that; rather, I bought within my means.

If you made $100K, for example, and thought it might be "a good idea" to buy a $750K home, then I sympathize, I guess; but don't look to the Government. You were rich already, and you wanted more, more than you can afford. Too bad.

It seems to me that a lot of folks here are debating whether Hillary or Barack will "do more" for us. In the spirit of the Kennedy endorsements, let me just say: "Ask not, what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

Let me repeat:

Yes to progressive taxation and safety nets; no to bullshit handouts, and no to more middle-class irresponsibility.

I'm for Obama, and I hope you will be, too.

•  Tips for responsibility

  by jeff in nyc on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 07:58:28 PM PDT

•  "...Promote the Common Welfare..."

  You are dead, dead, dead wrong, and this is a core principle of Democratic politics, and this is a blog to elect Democrats to office.

  The framers stipulated welfare in the Preamble to the Constitution even though in their time there was little that government was able to do about it.

  Helping with rent is a proper role for government --depending on circumstances-- and where's the evidence for all this middle class irresponsibility you toss out as an unsupported conclusion?

  by Gooserock on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:02:57 PM PDT

  •  I am a core Democrat

    and I disagree with you, no matter how many "deads" you throw my way. I do think that "promote the common welfare" is the mission of our party, I just don't think that includes promoting the stupid decisions of people who are really pretty damned rich.

    And let me repeat: if you made $100K and thought it was a good idea to take a mortgage on more than you can afford; well, then, I hope you recover, and I want there to be assistance when you need it---but NOT a buyout of your mess.

    by jeff in nyc on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:11:24 PM PDT

•  The problem is ..that the deregulation of the

  banking industry by Congress in the 1990's created a business climate that encouraged predatory lending...not sustainable lending...I will get you a link to a remarkable professor...not an economics professor but a soils professor from the University of Texas at Austin..he is in a wonderful documentary that our neighborhood group saw recently..he builds sustainable houses with his students and one of the projects was for the Yaki Indians of Northern Mexico..the poorest people on our continent....sustainable housing..what a concept...

  think about it..where else do people live on this planet for century after century...in sustainable ways..??

  Can we start to learn to live in sustainable ways..away from banking interests and corporate interests that seek only more and more profits for their shareholders..??

  Do the politicians really understand what is needed to make sure that a true economic melt down crisis can be handled well..??  

  by RubyGal on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:04:14 PM PDT

  •  I am calling for banking regulation

    I'm just trying to ask people not to look to Democrats as a the party of "back-up money". Republicans use the government as a secondary bank for big business, but not for individuals; I think both are wrong, and I don't want to see people looking to Barack or Hillary for rent checks.

    I know this is a hard topic, and I think I've done very poorly.

    by jeff in nyc on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:07:36 PM PDT

    •  You haven't done poorly on this hard topic

      You have a good point..however, just like in the Great Depression..ONLY the government can organize the economy in such a way to bring people out of poverty...ONLY the government is capable of regulating the economy in such a way that the disparity between wage earners and capital investors can be broght to a more equitable position..that is what is out of kilter..the economy is lopsided...we are becoming an oligarchy.. ONLY the government can correct this..

      by RubyGal on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:39:43 PM PDT

      •  I agree, Ruby. It is the ad hoc bills that

        just spend....so often, it's good money after bad, and nobody really benefits other than the issuers of the money.

        by jeff in nyc on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:50:49 PM PDT

•  There's a balance, of course

  While I think it was irresponsible of banks to give out the loans they did, the people taking out those loans were (at least) equally irresponsible.

  So fix the law, but don't too many of my hard-earned dollars bailing foolish people out of their foolishness. I have my own obligations.

  There's a balance.

  And for God's sake, stop devaluing my dollar with deficit spending up the arse.

  by SleepingWillow on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:10:45 PM PDT

•  I'm sorry, it's late, it's after Bush's SOTU...

  and I just have to share...

  by grannyhelen on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:18:48 PM PDT

•  I have to agree

  with all that you've posted.

  especially this....

  Yes to progressive taxation and safety nets; no to bullshit handouts, and no to more middle-class irresponsibility.

  In its simplest form it has become government as our ATM.  

  I cringe when I see our democratic candidates on the campaign trail in TV clips proposing one billion dollar plan after another.

  enough is enough.  honestly, there should be a social safety net in our society for the least among us but not much more than that.  I don't see how 'big government' or big govt spending is a progressive ideal.  

  I've read a few comments thus far disagreeing with you but I don't understand WHY its a progressive tenet to think that Govt can and should enter into all these different big spending endeavors.

  by oaktav on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:21:59 PM PDT

  •  Man, I really appreciate hearing that

    I know there are tons of people that would agree. Thanks.

    by jeff in nyc on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:25:50 PM PDT

•  FYI

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  2008 elections, president, primaries, Democrats

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  by SarahLee on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:36:09 PM PDT

  •  Thx...Hope I changed it to reflect standads n/t

    by jeff in nyc on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:47:48 PM PDT