It would be nice to say that on April 15th that the leaders in congress,  Republicans and Democrats alike, would have gotten the message from the rednecks, racist, antigovernment, tea parties attendees.  However,  it seems as though they either decided  to dismiss it as if the protest were from people who are bitter about the election or make crude sex jokes about these voters as a way to discredit their voice.  If there are any shrewd politicians out there,  and there is reason to believe that anyone with an ounce of common sense  has long ago left Washington,  they would take the message seriously. There is a simple message that these Tea Parties are stating loud and clear. Taxpayers are fed up. Taxpayers want to see a return to conservative principals not reforming our way of life.  

If the congressmen and women would listen closely, they will find that there are three very important points that these Anti-tax, antigovernment protesters are trying to get across.  First,  who ever voted for massive spending, bailouts and tax increases,  will not only have a lot of explaining to do for their action, they may end up in the unemployment line like many of their fellow citizens who have lost their jobs.  This means that if it was a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent who said YES to Tarp,  the voters will now say NO to these men and women come election day.  It is that simple.  This has nothing to do with party lines, this has to do with being responsible to the voters.   For those Congressman and Senators who want to join the movement because they see that it benefits their chances for reelection.  Don't bother joining the fight.  The protesters do not want lip service, they want action.  

Second,  the left wing liberals would have everyone believe that this is all about class preservation.  That is to say, that the rich want to remain rich and keep the poor and middle class in their perspective places.  At the rallies there were no representation from the rich.  In the crowds familiar faces like Bill Gates,  Steve Forbes, or George Soros were not seen.  Why would  they show up?  They pay taxes but they also have lobbyists, lawyers, accountants and many more employees who assist them come tax times.  No doubt that they pay  their “fair share”, however they also have the means to make their voices heard.   The  people who gathered were common folks, middle class hard working Americans who pay their taxes.  Average citizens do not ahve lobbyists who will make sure their vocies are heard.  Most of the Middle Class purchase a copy of Turbo Tax, and preapare their taxes  themselves.  The burdens of taxation falls squarely on their shoulders becasue when 30 % is taken out their paychecks, they feel the pain of struggleing to make ends meet.  The Obama administration would like to pass the line that everyone has to have skin in the game, but no where in that crowd were the people who do not pay taxes.  Families on welfare were absent from this crowd.  Illegal immigrants were not there either.  Could it be that they were too busy trying to find more handouts that our government is only too willing to give?   The irony of  taxes is that Obama’s own tax returns prove the Tea Parties' point.   In 2007 he made 4 million dollars, not bad for a Community Organizer.  According to MSNBC,  one of his favorite news soruce, He paid $1,396,772  in federal taxes.  . The  Tea Parties' do not envy Obama for his success or the money he made.  What the Tea Parties' do object to is the fact that no matter how much money we make, the government takes most of it.  For the Obamas, they probably did not feel the pain that much when they paid their taxes.  The average Joe in 2007 paid 32.15 % of their income in taxes, which includes state and local tax.   If 32.15% is not enough for Congress what will be enough?  If the taxpayers do not stand up now,  it is quite possible that taxes will continue to go up not down.  How long will it take for the tax rate to reach 50%?  If Obama has his way with National Healthcare, and other social programs that bring more dependents on the government dole, it can happen quickly.  

Third,  the American voter will not  give up their freedoms  without a fight.  Country after country have tried different forms of socialism and have failed.   Marxism did not work.  Fascism failed in Italy.  Communism failed in Russia.  China with a little help from Capitalism is trying to make Communism work there also.  However, it does not seem to be an all out success there either. . What should have American leaders learned from this?  The Human spirit is stronger than any  one individual demands for power.   What may be more damaging to our leaders in Government than anything else is that they have forgotten America’s history.   Americans are the first rebel rousers and fire in the belly nation.  Our forefathers fought for  this country to be free and to remain free of tyranny.  The Boston Tea Party was one example of fighting back, but the true test of the forefathers resolve and belief in the republic came when they wrote the Declaration of Independence.  It began with the words “We  the People, “   This is a precious gift they bestowed upon future Americans.  They gave the people the gift of freedom, which we are finding out, it is a gift to be protected, preserved and passed on to the next generations.  Freedom is not for wimps,  it’s for winners.   The Tea Parties are just another chapter in American History where common every day folks fight   a government gone too far. 

Obama is proving that he is a liberal.  A true hard core liberal who sees that the only way to keep the economy going forward is  spending money and creating new positions and departments which will mean spending even more money.  Earlier this week,  he announced that Nancy Killefer will be his administration's chief performance officer, creating a new White House position with the intent to  eliminate government waste and improving efficiency.   Just what America needs right now, another watchdog on the taxpayers dime  to create a bigger government.  This position makes no sense at all.  What are her duties?  What power does she have in stopping waste?  Who will report to her?  Who will she report to?   How does Peter Orszag, nominee for the Office of Management and Budget,  fit into the picture The President-Elect, as we are finding out on a day to day basis, does not like to reveal details.  The masses are just to go along with his decrees and not question them.  Ever. 

In an economy that is the weakest it has ever been in decades, and the new administration constant reminder that things are not going to get better,  it is irresponsible to be finding new ways of spending money.  Obama seems to realize this when at the announcement of Peter Orszag for the OMB he stated,  “We are going to go through our federal budget, as I promised during the campaign, page by page, line by line, eliminating those programs we don't need and insisting that those that we do need operate in a sensible, cost-effective way.”  On the one hand Obama wants a stimulus package that will cost $700 billion. However, in the next speech he gives he talks about cutting the budget. Huh?  It is amazing that the media is not noticing President-elect’s split personality.  Then again,  this is the same media that is so enamored with the Preseindent’s pecs.  President-Elect Obama is trying to have it both ways, with cutting and spending.  However, any basic economic lesson will stress that there is a time for spending and a time for cutting.  Mr. President-elect, now is the time for cutting. 

The fiscal year 2009 is not starting out very well .  It doesn't help that the 111th Congress is very left leaning and the President-elect even more so. Putting that aside,  it is time to shed some light on the economic fallacies that are surfacing as the answers to the economic woes. First and foremost, bailouts don’t work  Giving money without conditions or accountability is beyond stupidity.  It’s financial suicide.  Also, you can't successfully bail out a business when  your own situation is shaky at  best. Secondly,  the government has to let some issues, such as education, transportation, and medicare, be handled at the state level. Property, gas and state taxes should be sufficient to fund these programs without federal aid.  Local officials and voters should decide how the money should be spent.   Third, stop redefining tax cuts.  A tax cut is when the government  collects less revenue, which allows the taxpayer to keep more of  their hard earned money.   This causes taxpayers to have confidence in their ability to pay their bills, spend money and even give to charities.  A tax cut is not a government check for every citizen, even those who don’t pay taxes.  That is called welfare and the redistribution of wealth.  This has never worked anywhere.  In the places they have tried it,  people have fled the country or stayed because they could see no other way out of their situation.  Unfortunately, this is the only campaign promise that President-elect Obama intends to keep.   On a final note,  businesses, whether they are big or small, are not the evil and corrupt institutions as the liberal elite and media portrays. They are the engine that keeps the economy going strong.  At this moment,  they are struggling for  their life because of  an abundance of regulations, taxes and trade laws that are stifling their growth.  Supporting businesses  by relaxing regulations, tax cuts and striving for global trade that benefits American companies, are logical steps to improving the economy. They are also less costly ways of trying to fix the current crisis. 

The  economic fallacies will not disappear under President Obama’s watch. With every socialist idea, creation of  government positions and programs that  adds to government spending,  the economy will spiral further out of control. If our new President is serious about improving the economy for the long term,  he’s got to keep his promise that was made on November 25, 2008... “ eliminating those programs we don't need and insisting that those that we do need operate in a sensible, cost-effective way.”  Now that is the hope and change that is needed in Washington or Mr. President,  were they just words?