The Bailout

I am so disappointed in our President and Congress for passing this $700 billion bailout. This might be a great short term fix to our current economic problem (although we'll soon find out if even that proves to be true), but it will only hurt us in the long run. The dollar will continue to fall. This is very much an extension of the New Deal. It gives the government more power to undermine our markets and, quite literally, restrict the power of the individual. It is wholly contrary to the "Yes You Can" concept.

The market is dependent upon individual creativity. Whether it be run by the government or entirely free, any market will rely on people creating new ways to produce and consume its goods. People will create new products, new ways of producing products, new ways of marketing products, etc. In a government run system, these creative people will make up some kind of government agency and will work closely with politicians to do their best to create the most efficient market. In a free market system, the creative people are individual citizens who are working for their own self-sustainment and, ideally, for the sustainment of others around them. The "Yes You Can" concept obviously favors the latter of the two systems because individuals working to better their own lives and the lives of those around them are filled with an intense creative ability that is unmatched by any form of government. Of course, there can be various types of systems in between these two extremes but the "Yes You Can" concept believes that removing restrictions from individuals will allow them to use their creative power to it's fullest extent and, therefore, have the ability to produce the most good. In other words, the "Yes You Can" concept favors the free market extreme.

The conservative Right has always held these principles to be true. Today, the Republican Party, which typically represents the Right, has acted in complete contradiction with these principles. It stepped up to help save a failing part of our market. Unfortunately, that failing part of our market was failing because it was too much under the control of the government. Individual creativity was restricted and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were no longer able to compete with the rest of the market. Now the government has come to bail them out and further entrench its hold on the market which will further restrict that individual creativity that is so necessary to the "Yes You Can" concept and the American way of life. The Republicans have missed their chance to stand up to the Left and show them how their policies are failing. They've missed their chance to live up to their fundamental beliefs. This is further illustration that the Right has gotten off its foundations. It is no longer aware of what it stands for. It has forgotten the "Yes You Can" concept. I am very disappointed.

There is a good chance that I may no longer be voting for McCain. His only saving grace is his position on foreign policy issues relating to the Middle East. However, while I agree with him on those issues, this could be a deal breaker.