Change and Hope

We have elected change and hope and how could anyone disagree with the promise of those two words. I am completely independent (apolitical) so I didn't support Obama (that doesn't mean I supported anyone else either for those of you quick to catagorize) and now that he is President, I wish him well and I truly hope he lives up to some of his promises.

What I fear however, and something I am sure of, is that there are forces far greater than the Presidency at work to shape our future. If you are not sure what this means just follow the money. Even under Obama the rich will get richer and the have nots may slightly improve their position but the group will grow as a whole.

Why would I say this - first it is not the government's job to bail anyone out - Wall St., banks, auto companies or even you! That's right - you either. The minute we let the government bail us out we will be controlled by it even more and then guess what? The rich get richer and there are more ways to keep us in our place. The racial divide won't be among color lines but along net worth lines.

All the conviences we are sold today from cell phones, to Hi-Def TVs, to health care is about controlling us and allowing the rich to get richer (oh and for them to stay that way they need to be able to watch us too). Cell phones today can pinpoint your position on the globe within feet - big brother is watching. What about all the mini video cameras? I recently heard that Manhattan is 80% under camera - big brother is watching. How about the cameras at the stop lights that can send you a ticket and you get nice photos of your license plate and your face - big brother is watching. I don't know how I survived all these years without hi-def and broadband but now it is mandated by the government if you want to watch TV - why? What was wrong with TV before? And health care, who knows what dispicable plans will come forward when the government knows the details of everyone's health history.

Yes, its all sold as convience. You'll be able to get a better picture for the ball game, you will know where your kid is through his cell phone, the cameras make it safer, etc. How many have already agreed to chip implants because it is "easier"? This is taking us down a road of huge big brother government acting as if they are providing social programs for the poor. It looks good to have the government watching your back right?

The nice look of government watching out for us will quickly turn into the sour taste of a government controlling us with even fewer personal and civil rights. The good look of socialism is not the government's domain. We need to let the churches and literally millions of non-profits out there service the poor, etc. In fact there are more programs from non-profits that could be for just about any of us. As the government has encroached into education it has failed and yet more money is thrown at education as if that is the answer. A real stimulus for America should be from a great education with independent thinkers developing creative solutions for the future (and this has nothing to do with grand architecture- while nice, learning can happen anywhere). Government is mandating green programs and many are jumping on that band wagon too but as it is all so new, we don't have accurate measurable ways to determine success.

Government should be small and stay out of our personal business and the government hasn't demostrated its ability to do really anything well except conduct a war - and why is that? War is good for business and so the rich get richer...If you want the government to bail you or anyone or any company out, in fact if you allow this to happen, I say watch your back because it won't be long before the beast is completely out of the cage and when that happens the words change and hope may have drastically different meanings.