THYME Magazine

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume III, Issue XXIV

Great Myths of the Obama Recession

The 'other' weekly news magazine finally gets it (sort of). They ask on their cover: "What Recovery?" They're admitting that the much touted 'recovery' just isn't there. What is interesting is that they still don't get a lot of the reasons.

So, here are some myths about the "Recovery" er, a... "Recession," if you will.

Myth #1. FDR Spent Us Out of the Depression. Obama will too.

First of all, I must offer the excellent work of Lawrence Reed:



Great Myths of the Great Depression [Click to Read] by Lawrence W. Reed

"President Herbert Hoover is mistakenly presented in standard history texts as a laissez-faire president, but he signed into law so many costly and foolish bills that one of Franklin Roosevelt’s top aides later said that “practically the whole New Deal was extrapolated from programs that Hoover started.”

"Americans voted for Franlin Roosevelt in 1932, expecting him to adhere to the Democratic Party platform, which called for less government spending and regulation." -- Lawrence W. Reed
The really frightening thing about history is how it repeats itself.

Myth #2. There is Nothing Special About America. We're Toast.



In light of the President's recent assertion that 'America is not a Christian Nation' I would like to offer Alvin Schmidt's book Under the Influence, How Christianity Changed the World. There are many legitimate arguments to be made about how Faith and Government should function together but a look at the principles that our Nation was founded upon will show a clear Judeo-Christian influence.

"If no other consideration had convinced me of the value of the Christian life, the Christlike work which the Church of all denominations in America has done during the last 35 years for the elevation of the black man would have made me a Christian." -- Booker T. Washington in 'Up from Slavery' (1901)

To those who would write off the American experiment at this point in history, I offer the observation that history says much of the intuitiveness and resilience of this unique people.

The REAL American Dream [click to read].

Myth #3. Growing Government will Grow the Economy.

Government, of itself, produces nothing. Every function of government requires the removal of resources from the productive sector of the economy. Certainly the provision of defense and the maintainence of infrastructure are reasonable and proper functions of government and serve the productive sector. Excessive regulatory structure and redistribution only serve to harm it.

The Recovery Myth [click to read].

Myth #4. Private Sector Growth Enriches CEO's and not Us.

Think about who really is invested in these companies. That's YOUR retirement money. Those 'obscene' profits are mostly retun on the investment of people like you.

Where the Jobs Are [click to read].

Myth #5. Barack Obama is a Great Unifier.

Wow, where do I begin? The man who told Eric Cantor to "sit down, shut up, I WON!!!" is hardly the voice of reconciliation he promised to be when elected. Here's a man who WANTS $5.00 a gallon gasoline and has said so. He has resisted America's efforts to produce our own energy. He says: "You can build a coal fired power plant if you want to... but you'll go bankrupt." (due to administration supported policies).

Why it Won't Fly [click to read].

'Hope and Change'

Sending Eric Cantor to Room 101

My April Fools post is becoming decidedly not funny. Unfortunately the present administration seems to have learned how to deal with opposition from Orwell's novel.

The WSJ Reports on the Administration's Attempt to Destroy Eric Cantor [click to read]. (ht/SWAC Girl). Cantor, you remember, made some honest criticisms of the stimulous package only to be told to sit down because "I (Obama) won." The problem is Mr. Cantor won too. In 2002 Cantor defeated Ben Jones, the actor who played 'Cooter' on 'Dukes of Hazzard' quite handily. In a representative republic I consider him MY representative. He was properly executing his responsibility by speaking out.

I know Mr. Obama wishes he could have Ben Jones in congress, fixing the economy just like old 'Cooter' fixed the 'General Lee' after it was wrecked in just about every episode, but both scenarios are, to put it bluntly, fiction. The show's producers actually had about twenty Dodge Chargers when the series started. They 'recycled' some of the crash scenes too. Ben Jones owned some of the cars that survived and you could see one at his store in Sperryville.

Unfortunately there is only one United States economy. You can't wreck it every week to get ratings and see it completely restored in the next episode.

At the G20 Summit, Mr. Obama Dissed the Declaration of Independence [click to read]. He seems intent to override our national sovreignty. Right now we need a Jefferson, ready to take on the Barbary Pirates, not someone intent on giving away the store.

Eric Cantor is not alone. Look at the Attacks on Bob McDonnell [click to read]! So, where are the lofty new ideas we were promised? Looks like politics as usual to me.

I'll leave you a quote from a time when we knew what 'Hope and Change' were supposed to look like:

"Whatever else history may say about me when I’m gone, I hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears; to your confidence rather than your doubts. My dream is that you will travel the road ahead with liberty’s lamp guiding your steps and opportunity’s arm steadying your way.” -- Ronald Reagan

'Bipartisanship' Washington Style

Eric Cantor Won His Election Too

Several times our new President has flatly stated "I won" to cut off discussion of items pertaining to policies or legislation that is being criticized or opposed. He had promised a new transparency in government but as his almost one trillion dollar stimulus comes together he wants no one to question its content.

Earlier I mentioned a Wall Street Journal article that outlines some of the elements of this legislation that quite frankly deserve to be examined. Unfortunately the Associated Press reports that Mr. Obama's answer to those who would examine his proposed spending package is that they need to quit listening to Rush Limbaugh if they want to get along with Democrats and the new administration. "'You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done," he told top GOP leaders, whom he had invited to the White House to discuss his nearly $1 trillion stimulus package.

Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia dared to question portions of the legislation and Mr. Obama told Mr. Cantor: "I won, I will trump you on that."

Mr. Cantor was on Rush Limbaugh's show this afternoon discussing the controversial stimulus proposal, which includes funds for ACORN and other interests that helped elect Mr. Obama.

If I remember correctly, Eric Cantor was elected by the good people of Virginia to represent people like myself. He stood for election in his race and guess what?HE WON! Dennis Prager has opined that there are really two Americas now. Mr. Obama's election proves it. He won, but almost half of the voters voted for someone else. Is it really fair that the America that didn't vote for Obama be denied representation and a voice?