DEMOCRATIC TALIKING POINTS: The language of coercion

I have to come right out and tell you I need some serious help on this one. Generally I don't have any difficulty recognizing the talking points of any political party. In this case however I am truly at a loss. During the campaign I felt I was getting a handle on it: change, transparency, economic growth, inclusion, respect, no tax increases for the middle class or the poor, health care for all, etc. All rolled up into one the message seemed to be "responsible, compassionate government". That is my simple translation. Ten months into the administration and none of these points seem clear or consistent. Excuse me. Health insurance for everyone is in the forefront but certainly not under what any reasonable human being could look at and consider it in the context of responsible government. For everyone? Well not really. As the proposal from the House now stands, there are still millions of Americans (not including the illegal aliens) that will not be covered. At 1.2 trillion dollars over ten years, surly the House Democrats could have come up with a bill that meets their overall agenda - health coverage for everyone. Not unlike all the other campaign rhetoric, just another shot over the bow completely missing the mark.

Change, change, yes we can. Sound familiar from the campaign? There is change coming without a doubt but is it really the change you thought you were hearing during the campaign? Here are just a few of the changes that have taken place and are continuing to take place. Government is expanding at a pace never before seen in the history of our country. As the government is expanding, Mr. Obama is slithering governmental tentacles into all aspects of commercial and private enterprise. We now have a Pay Czar who seems to have the authority to dictate income for corporate executives from those companies who received TARP funds. I really don't mind more oversight of these companies since they did take my (our) money; but dictating salaries to these executives is just one more step toward total government control. I want to know what in our constitution gives the government such authority over private corporations. Yes, change. The Administration has moved from traditional administrative cabinet posts to creating positions for more Czars than in any other time in our history. Oh this is a change well worth discussion. There are now over thirty Czars within the Obama Administration. Not one has been vetted nor in any way confirmed by Congress. They are in positions that operate outside of congressional oversight, control or accountability. To whom are they accountable? Presumably Mr. Obama. I say presumably because there is no clear chain of command for any of these individuals. Who are they and why have they been chosen? The fact is they are government employees, paid with taxpayers money; yet, accountable to no one. No one unless we assume Mr. Obama guides and directs their actions. I pose this: These individuals have been chosen by Obama or his "trusted" staff because of their structural underlying ideologies and philosophies. Individuals who are in such lock-step with the President's ideologies and objectives they do not require Obama's oversight. Change for sure but is this really the change you thought you were voting for? A revolution has but one general but many soldiers who know and embrace the cause and are trusted to carry out the revolution without hands on direction and oversight. Should one fall, many are there to take their place without much training. The cause is understood and the end justifies the means. Larger government, more government control and oversight, government officials who operate with impunity, redistribution of wealth, massive tax increases, ostracizing opponents or any who speak out against the cause, an agenda that is not supported by the majority of citizens but pursued with a vengeance regardless and forced down our throats, and a President that cannot seem to make the hard decisions without first having conferences and meetings and summits and on and on; is this the change you expected? The signs were there. The red flags were every where but Obama was the darling of the main stream media and no one was willing to confront any of the issues with any true integrity whatsoever. You would have to be an idiot not to have recognized the free ride Obama was, and still is to a great extent, given. There is no question in my mind he was very well aware of his position and took full advantage. So why would he think any thing will be different now? He can do as he wants and his challengers are few and easily coerced. Chicago style politics at its best.

With this "change" in our government I guess I need to understand how Obama and his Administration define transparency, inclusion and respect. My understanding of these concepts simply does not match with what has been occurring. Giant health care bills are hammered out behind closed doors, any criticism of the President brings accusations of bigotry and attempts by the Administration to ostracize those criticizing, Czars operating with impunity and absolutely no public oversight or input, extreme partisan fractures within the Congress, heavy handed politics at its best. Transparency and respect? No. The exact opposite! There is inclusion however. You will be included, no, embraced if you are in lock-step with the agenda and ideologies of the Administration. It's time to stop blaming the prior Administration Mr. President and start being accountable for your decisions and the path you have chosen to take. You have surrounded yourself with a cadre of like-thinking individuals. Yes is the only answer you seem to accept. Yes to your agenda. Yes to your ideologies. Yes to your way of thinking. Before I go on, would you please, in clear and concise terms, be transparent about what exactly your agenda might be? What exactly are your true ideologies? What exactly is your way of thinking? Where are you trying to take us Mr. President? Are you trying to cram your agenda down our throats before we catch on and put a stop to it? Simply put I believe the answer to the last question is an unequivocal yes!

Responsible, compassionate government defined by the Obama Administration can only be defined as socialism. Come on America pay attention to what is happening at lightening speed and behind closed doors. Every step taken is one step closer to generalized control by the government. What do you think Obama means when talks about redistribution of wealth? Your wealth, your pay, your hard earned dollar. No. You may not see an increase in your income taxes but you will see taxes higher than ever before and taxes on everything you have to purchase to survive. God forbid you purchase any products that may fall under the Administration's definition of "sin" products: alcohol, tobacco products, "junk food" products, etc. That's right. Sin taxes. Oh, and your consumption of energy will be monitored and you will be taxed (penalized) if you exceed what the government dictates is your "reasonable" level of energy usage. This is already in place America. Your home and place of business is being retro-fitted with updated meters to monitor your energy consumption, all under the guise of "helping you better manage your energy consumption".

So back to where I started. What exactly are the Democratic talking points? Unlike what I thought the sum was during the campaign, I think I get it now. Huge government, government control of private industry, a government that sees the people as ignorant and unable to care for themselves so it becomes the responsibility of the government to take care of us. Sound familiar? It does to me - Socialism! Ask yourself now before it's too late America; is this the change you wanted? Is this the America you want for your children? Is the government really more capable of taking care of you than you are? Do you really want to work for the government or do you want the government to work for you? If you continue to be silent, continue to be willing to just wait and see, continue to be dragged down a path that is unclear and smoke covered, you will come to realize your government has deceived you and taken away the rights you take for granted. As Americans we have to stand up and fight back. If nothing else, just stand up and be counted! We the people are greater than the government and we must start now to demand accountability! It is our government and we need to take it back now!