The Economy Is Only One Of The Issues

[Freedomlover]

The media and most of the candidates for President and for Congress keep saying the economy is the major issue in the 2012 elections. I would disagree with that premise. It is a very important issue, but there is one overarching issue that exists that the economy comes under, and that is FREEDOM. Here is the freedom agenda I would like to see adopted by the Republican candidates. There is no hope the Democrats would ever move in this direction.

FREEDOM AGENDA 2012

1. Economic Freedom: Tax and Regulation Reform that will help create jobs. We need to flatten the tax rates, broaden the tax base and reduce federal spending to a more sustainable level. The more workers can keep of their earnings the further away they are moved from depending on government. That is real freedom!

2. Healthcare Freedom: Repeal Obamacare which will permit each state to create their own market based system. One size does not fit all!

3. Education Freedom: Abolish the Department of Education, which will save billions, but use a good portion of the money saved to help fund state education systems without all the current bureaucratic rules that have just about ruined primary and secondary education in this country. States know how to do education, they were doing it long before the feds got involved. A federal line item in the budget can give direct grants to states to use in school districts that need the most help. A whole bureaucracy simply is not needed!

4. Energy Freedom: While developing new technologies to meet our future needs we should use the resources we know we have. As we develop alternatives and use what we have now we will reduce our dependence on oil from the Middle East and thus liberate ourselves from those who hate us anyway.

5. Promote Freedom: There should be three tests that each piece of legislation and spending bill passed by Congress should have to meet before it is voted on (a.) is it constitutional; (b) what is the impact on individual freedoms; (c.) what is the economic impact on individuals and the efforts to move toward lowering the national debt and getting to a balanced budget?

These five issues under the heading of freedom should be what the 2012 election are all about. They are not Tea Party ideas alone, I am not part of the Tea Party, but should be the ideas every American should foster. Remember, our freedoms do not come by a grant of the government. They are inalienable, and can only be taken from us if we allow the government to do so.

 

[waltky]

Granny havin' to knock 10% off apples she sells onna street corner...

US economy still sluggish, says Federal Reserve
7 September 2011 - President Obama is due to give a speech on Thursday outlining plans to boost job creation

The US Federal Reserve says the economy has failed to gain any ground in recent weeks, with many areas remaining weak. The analysis comes in its latest Beige Book - an economic assessment provided by the 12 regional governors that make up the Fed's board. The book recorded factory activity as unsteady, retail sales poor in most areas and the housing market flat. The book comes a day before President Barack Obama is due to outline a new plan for boosting growth and jobs.

The report will be used by the Federal Reserve's Open Markets Committee when it next meets to look at interest rate levels. Its next meeting begins on 20 September. The Beige Book said that recent stock market volatility and rising economic uncertainty have undermined confidence. It commented: "Economic activity continued to expand at a modest pace, though some districts noted mixed or weakening activity."

Five districts reported modest or slight growth between July and August, while the remaining seven described activity in terms such as "very subdued" or "more slowly". A jobs report last Friday caused widespread disappointment, recording no new jobs in August for the first time since 1945, leaving the unemployment rate at 9.1%.

BBC News - US economy still sluggish, says Federal Reserve

 

[Toro]

The only thing that matters is the economy.

 

[DontBeStupid]

The only thing that matters is the economy.

Quoted because it's true.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Promote Freedom: There should be three tests that each piece of legislation and spending bill passed by Congress should have to meet before it is voted on (a.) is it constitutional…

Only the courts may determine what laws are Constitutional and what laws are not. Indeed, all laws passed by Congress are presumed to be Constitutional until a Federal court says otherwise. See: US v Lopez (1995), US v. Morrison (2000).

(b) what is the impact on individual freedoms...

Again, this issue can only be addressed in Federal court, to compel Congress to attempt to determine the constitutionality of a given law – much less whether given legislation ‘violates individual freedoms,’ is going beyond the Constitutional mandate of the Legislative Branch. If an American believes his rights are being preempted by a given Congressional action, he’s free to file suit in Federal court.

(c.) what is the economic impact on individuals and the efforts to move toward lowering the national debt and getting to a balanced budget?

What does this even mean? It sounds like advocacy of a so-called ‘balance budget amendment.’ Such an amendment would be a bad idea, as it’s politically motivated and predicated on the fallacy that the Federal government’s budget functions like a household budget, the naïve nonsense of ‘living within one’s means.’ It’s perfectly normal and appropriate for the Federal budget to fluctuate between deficit and surplus – particularly when addressing a national crisis. Indeed, such an amendment’s provision with regard to deficit spending in the event of an emergency would make such an amendment unworkable.

Remember, our freedoms do not come by a grant of the government. They are inalienable, and can only be taken from us if we allow the government to do so.

True. But the people as well may not take our rights via propositions or referenda – one’s rights are not subject to popular vote; nor may state or local governments take away our rights. Conservatives are obsessed with the notion of Federal preemption, yet fail to realize that state and local government are just as prone to violate citizens’ rights and historically it has been local legislative entities most likely to do so.

 

[The Rabbi]

The only thing that matters is the economy.

Actually Perry has this one nailed. It is not the economy. It is jobs. I realize those two are inseparable but it makes a difference. People have jobs. Politicians have economies.