The Next Step

We're not yet 100 days into the nightmare that our new administration has become. Given the dizzying blizzard of rules, regulations, spending and radical direction changes we've already seen, it's time to survey the American landscape. How much has been altered? Where are the bulldozers headed next? And most importantly, what can be reasonably slowed down, stopped altogether, or undone?

Galt is not here with a happy face for you today, so first let's get to the facts.

Government Spending
TARP Bailout funds - $700B and counting, already spent and gone. It's possible a portion might be returned to the taxpayers, but I'm considering it 95% vanished until I see proof otherwise.
Stimulus/Porkulus II – The idiotic $150B “rebate” from last year is long gone; the roughly $800B of number 2 will probably be 75% already spent or impossible to retrieve by early 2011.
2009 Continuing Budget - $450B or so that's history already.
2010 Budget - Even with some nibbling at the corners, it will still come in at $3.5 trillion plus.Right now there does not seem to be enough Democrat defections to prevent its passage.
Federal Reserve Capital Infusions/Guarantees – While I'm well aware the unaudited Fed is not a government agency, they nonetheless commit the American taxpayer, while they rake in their very profitable cut of the action. To date they have directly infused or guaranteed over $6 trillion+/- of our money. In addition, they have inflated the money supply by about a factor of 3 in the last year. Econ 101 pop quiz – what happens when an increasing supply of money chases a static or diminishing supply of goods? Beuhler? Very good, Mr Beuhler – inflation!

A modest total of government spending in the last year (not counting the first half of fiscal 09) totals nearly $12 trillion dollars, or nearly the amount of the entire GDP of the United States.

Policy Change
Nationalized Health Care – it's hard to put a price tag on this, but will cost hundreds of billions annually. Given the abysmal record of Medicare/Medicaid/VA Healthcare, this will damage our well-being as much as our wallets.
Energy/Cap & Trade - A little noticed fact is that relatively cheap and stable gas prices have been a huge blessing to cash-strapped businesses and individuals. A govermnent mandated move to expensive renewables and a Cap and Trade scam (creating a “market” out of thin air – literally!) will impact every family in America. Estimates range as high as $3100/yr per family in increased energy costs. An embargo on domestic oil and gas exploration and utilization leaves us terribly vulnerable to another drastic spike in fuel prices. Ask yourself what $5/gallon gasoline would do to this fragile economy.
Border Control/Amnesty – This administration is showing the same concern for border control as it's predecessor. Apparently Amnesty for illegals (otherwise know as the Democratic Voter Creation Act) is about to surface again this year as well. There's a real stimulus – first 20, then eventually 30-40 million undereducated, unskilled, low wage net consumers of tax dollars!
Obama Youth Corp/ACORN support Also part of the DVCA – will only perpetuate what is increasingly rampant voter fraud, and further indoctrinate any young skulls full of mush the public education system missed.

Foreign Policy
Still developing, but groveling, appeasement and unilateral disarmament seem to be the watchwords of the day. Odds are good we'll see some very nasty blowback from this approach in the near future.

So what's the next step for freedom lovers who want the real America back? 2010 is still a long way off, and we don't yet know what will grow from the grassroots revolt that's starting to burn white hot.

One – Fight a holding action to limit further damage as much as possible. Visible vocal, angry, unrelenting protest and pressure on every elected idiot in Washington. They scare easy, so we don't need to spook too many to make a big difference

Two – Educate. Persuade. Inform. Far too many people in this country are sadly ignorant of such basics as their own country's founding philosophy and history. Few seem to grasp basic economic principles. Many are completely unaware of how badly they've been sold down the river by their government. We'll need every enlistee and convert we can muster to effect the tough, but necessary decisions that will have to be made.They will not convert on their own – it will take individuals of influence in their daily lives.

Three- Support only those politicians who have stayed true to principle, and those new ones who have actually read and will support the Constitution and limited government.

Four – Remember who we are. Pray for your country, yes even your enemies, and take care of your own family and neighbors as much as you are able.

We can't undo much of the spending, can't control Obama's foreign policy, or change a welfare state mentality overnight. We can however fight like hell for the country we love. Like it or not, you're all footsoldiers in this campaign – sitting on the sidelines is not an option. So saddle up – it's time to ride!

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
Thomas Paine September 12, 1777