Orrin Woodward on LIFE & Leadership

Since World War II, Keynesian economics has been the main current in economic thought in America.   I have taught that “Ideas have Consequences” for years and we are now reaping the bitter harvest of this poor set of ideas.  Anyone that would take a cursory look at the economic indicators and our government’s budget would have to admit something has gone drastically wrong since World War II.  Deficit spending has skyrocketed; savings for Americans are at all-time low numbers, government spending makes up 25% plus of our economy and many more.  The numbers are a dismal reminder that no one can overturn economic law, not even the largest government in the world.  America’s politicians have been on a spending spree since WWII and have financed it with the American taxpayers’ money.   Marrying a defective economics system that glorifies government spending with power hungry politicians that are looking for any excuse to spend our money is a recipe for disaster. 

Why is it that every responsible American family must balance their budget monthly or run the risk of serious consequences, but our elected officials cannot seem to master this standard requirement?   Chris Brady did a post on the 545 people that are responsible to run our government.  He attached some thoughts by Charlie Reese

There are one hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices. A total of 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

Are you telling me that in America, there is not 545 people who can learn to balance the budget and tell their constituents, no, when they have to?  You cannot have the proverbial cake and eat it too.  The government continues to spend billions more in dollars than it is taking in which makes it the least effectively run business in America.  Yet I hear people all the time that state, “What we need is more government involvement.”  Ok, let me get this straight.  The government that cannot balance its own budget (even though it has the largest revenue stream) will now be teaching its techniques for success (failure) to the rest of the private economy?  That is like going to the homeless shelter and assigning one of the unfortunates to teach their business acumen to the Chamber of Commerce. 

We are systematically robbing our children of their birthright in an orgy of spending and irresponsibility.  Americans need to demand responsibility in their government and find 545 people with the following skills and character: budgeting, ability to say no, integrity, principle centered, confronting reality, economic principles, historical understanding, vision casting and leadership.  I refuse to be part of the generation that sat by idly and allowed our great nation to spend itself into poverty!  Every businessman is held responsible to the bottom line by the market and profit and loss.  As Americans we must hold our politicians responsible for the bottom line.  We can right this ship, but we need less rhetoric and more confronting reality on the issues.  Here are just a few suggestions.

1. A government amendment to balance the budget yearly.  Leadership requires tough choices and without this amendment tough choices are put off by borrowing money and leaving a bigger problem to the next generation of leaders.

2. Back to a Gold standard or a hybrid system that only produces money when real value is produced in this country.  It is too tempting for politicians to artificially produce money and inflate when in a pinch.  Real money is only a measurement of value produced, not something that can be printed by fiat.

3. Reduce our foreign soil commitments of troops.  If countries desire us to be the police force for them, then they must foot the bill.  Who exactly are our troops in Western Germany defending against?  Isn’t this an appendage from the Cold War?  Cannot Germany defend themselves at this point?

4. Reduce the influence of special interest in the voting process.  The elected officials need to represent the voters, not the special interest.  Until we can have elected officials that are not owned by special interest, real change will be slow in coming.

Here is an educational video on Keynesian economics that is a must see for all responsible Americans that are concerned about our present financial crisis.  Thank you Vince for sending me the link to this video! Please share your thoughts to clean up our government’s mess.  God Bless, Orrin Woodward

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoxDyC7y7PM&w=425&h=344]