In America, it's Always Someone else's Fault
- Details
- Category: Bryan Vinson
- Published on Friday, 26 August 2011 16:07
- Written by Bryan Vinson
While it is easy to sit back and blame rich people, conservative politicians, liberal politicians, moderate politicians, unions, corporations, activists, lobbyists, and George Bush for all of our problems, there is still a missing element that can be blamed but never is. We rarely discuss it. It’s us. We the people. As John Boehner likes to say – “The American people.” I’ve written many opinions myself getting on the case of the Obama administration, or liberal ideals in general. That’s okay. It’s my opinion. Sometimes though I wonder if we’re sometimes like food critics. We don’t do a single thing to help prepare the meal, but we will sit there and rip it to shreds if it doesn’t meet our standards. The truth is that, in America, government can really force you to do very little. They can affect policy that shapes how you might do something. They can make things easier or difficult to accomplish things. But in the end, it’s up to us to make things happen.
The Debt Ceiling Debacle
- Details
- Category: Bryan Vinson
- Published on Tuesday, 16 August 2011 14:33
- Written by BryanVinson
At what point are you looking at a leader who simply can’t lead, or a resistant congress not interested in the good of the country in spite of a President trying his hardest?
Looking at the fallout of the debt ceiling debacle, President Obama seems to be mostly winning the spin war, but not by a great margin. Both the President and the Republican House of Representatives took a beating in popularity, but the idea that the Republican’s wouldn’t budge even with a “balanced approach” on the table is the prevailing attitude. President Obama has used what ever momentum can be gained by that perception to launch into his reelection campaign angle that “Congress is Broken.”
How the Debt Ceiling Almost Gave Us the All Powerful President… Kind Of
- Details
- Category: Bryan Vinson
- Published on Wednesday, 03 August 2011 11:46
- Written by Bryan Vinson
The debt ceiling debate was a tough segment for American politics. One side tried to use it to force taxes to be raised on the wealthiest two percent of Americans. The other side tries to use it to use it to force deep cuts of spending in Washington DC. In the end, the ceiling was raised, taxes were not, and the deep cuts never materialized. It was a wash. However, the left had a chance to feel around for a possibility that would have been the brightest silver lining in the whole debacle. The power of the President to raise the debt limit on his own without authority from congress. It was tempting enough that an actual former President, Bill Clinton, encouraged President Barack Obama to go ahead and do it and let the courts try to catch up with him. He said that this out loud and in public.
Read more: How the Debt Ceiling Almost Gave Us the All Powerful President… Kind Of
The Two Theories of Funding in Washington DC
- Details
- Category: Bryan Vinson
- Published on Monday, 27 June 2011 13:48
- Written by Bryan Vinson
Jay Carney, Obama’s press secretary, told reporters Tuesday. “Having said that, we are always mindful of the fact that, as powerful and wealthy as this country is, we do not have infinite and unlimited resources, and we have to make decisions about how to spend our precious dollars and, more importantly, how and when to use military force.”This is a quote from a news article about the Obama administration's approach to the war in Afghanistan. It’s a sensible approach, but it has an ironic twist when compared to how the left actually views the resources of the federal government. When it comes to entitlement programs, the left sees the federal government as a limitless resource of revenue to fund all sorts of benefits and handouts. We can borrow trillions of dollars forever with no limit.
The Tax Rate Just Isn't That Big a Deal
- Details
- Category: Bryan Vinson
- Published on Tuesday, 19 July 2011 18:08
- Written by Bryan Vinson
Tax increases, versus no new tax increases. This is the general impasse of the debt ceiling budget talks. For the first time in a long time both parties seem to realize and embrace some sort of reduction in spending in Washington DC. President Obama is looking, in the meantime, to get those tax rates raised on the wealthy that he missed out on at the end of 2010. Republicans are looking to not have a “read my lips” moment by allowing tax raises with them in control of the House. Four trillion in cuts over a decade isn’t a bad windfall in exchange for 700 billion in new taxes over a decade. It’s the principle that is at stake. It’s very important to liberals, and democrats, that the wealthy pay more in taxes.
Medicare and Entitlements... Where do we go from here?
- Details
- Category: Bryan Vinson
- Published on Thursday, 16 June 2011 10:25
- Written by Bryan Vinson
Republicans are finding themselves in the same situation that Democrats found themselves during the two years that they controlled all aspects of Washington DC. They are in the middle of controversial governing choices to take on tough problems that the country is facing. For Democrats it was a healthcare bill that faced an unpopular journey through congress. Ironically, the people of this country elected a President whose major campaign cornerstone was a healthcare bill. As a group we love to hear leaders talk about change, and have a visionary agenda that will add to the greatness of our country. Later, when we hear the details on how this will change the status quo, and what it will demand of us, we begin to get uneasy.
Read more: Medicare and Entitlements... Where do we go from here?
