Obama’s War on Success

Before many of us ever knew who this man was, Barack Obama had already launched his “war on success” at an October 19, 1998 conference at Loyola University, when he said:

“ I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody’s got a shot.” 

“Redistribution” has certainly been the “weapon of mass destruction,” since Barack Obama has become our 44th president. Through his economic policies (stimulus packages, energy policies, tax increases, expanded entitlement programs, and numerous costly regulations), our wealth is being ‘spread around’ by government force. While this may sound like a great idea to some people, we can already see how these policies are actually wrecking our economy, as well as our society as a whole.

In a free society (with no government confiscation of wealth), the amount of money that people earn will vary widely. That’s just how it is. This is because people have different abilities, interests, talents and ambitions. In a free society, the role of government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things.

On the other hand, redistributing wealth over and over again, taking property from those who have been most productive and frugal, and giving it to those who have been least productive or wasteful (with their money), penalizes good habits while rewarding bad ones. What happens to the incentive to work hard when we know we are only going to be punished for it? It’s no wonder that nations who ‘redistribute wealth’ end up becoming so poor.

“You got to pay your fair share,” President Obama lectures us. But, the longer his “redistribution” plan continues, the more productive people are beginning to decide to just give up, or simply move their businesses elsewhere (since they are no longer allowed to enjoy the fruits of their labor here). As a result, we can already see how the U.S. is beginning to spiral downward into poverty and despair.

There’s been a 40% decrease in wealth since 2009. Over 23 million Americans are out of work. Many of them have simply stopped looking for jobs. Over half of American’s are feeling pessimistic about our country’s future. The job creators have simply halted hiring. Household incomes are down 8.2%. Over 46 million Americans are now on food stamps.

What’s even more frightening is the fact that more and more Americans are simply giving up, and surrendering their own liberty in exchange for ‘cradle to grave’ security provided to them by the government.

The president’s policies have been seducing Americans into giving up their hard-won freedoms, independence, and wealth in exchange for the Nanny State to take care of them. This brings America back to the tyranny in which she originally escaped from.

Sadly, many Americans have forgotten that the United States has a phenomenal history of liberty rooted in the principles of in self-reliance and personal responsibility. This was the result of a two-hundred-year old ‘experiment’ so amazingly successful that America became what President Ronald Reagan used to call, “ A Shining City On A Hill.”

Our ‘Shining City” surely ignited a spirit (of freedom) that has blazed around a predominately dark world. America’s DNA has included her free-market system that has made considerable contributions to:

• Revolutionize communications (telephones, radios, computers, and televisions)
• Development of household appliances (refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, microwaves, sewing machines, and dishwashers)
• Harnessed electricity, nuclear power and even light bulbs
• Development of automobiles, airplanes, and spacecraft
• Doubling the average length of life
• Central heating and cooling
• Increased food production and distribution
• Surgical miracles
• Medical cures for old-age diseases

This explosion (of scientific inventions and technology) did not just come from America. But it did come vastly from the liberty and prosperity that the U.S. has unleashed across the globe.

America’s extraordinary success has also derived from the idea of allowing each individual (or business) do what they do best. Our Founders understood that when the individual succeeds, the entire nation benefits. Yet, this principle tends to be contrary to President Obama’s theory that the ‘successful’ (and our nation, as a whole) have obtained their wealth only by exploiting and stealing from the oppressed.

In reality, much of America’s success has actually come from individuals who provide quality services or products to their fellow humans (look at what Steve Jobs did to revolutionize Apple products). Because many Americans have chosen to maximize the talents, skills, brain power, and muscles that God has given them, God has blessed them with (gasp)……prosperity. This has also helped us to prosper as a nation. There’s no reason to ever feel guilty, be ashamed, or apologize for this.

Proverbs 10:4 even says, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.”

Truth be told, Americans have been known to experience genuine happiness by working with their own hands, and using those hands to help improve the  ‘quality of life’ for others (even for a profit). Their ‘pursuit of this happiness’ has been the creative force behind our economy for over 200 years. In fact, it is this very engine that makes up 70% of job creation in the U.S. today– through mostly small businesses.

So, why has President Obama declared war on such success? In his speeches, he insults it: “You didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen,” he angrily claims.  It’s no wonder businesses are so dispirited these days. Is he the one who pays for their business mortgages? Does he personally pay their employees’ salaries? Is he the one who loses sleep, trying to figure out how to pay for that unforeseen business expense? Does he pay for a doctor’s $100,000 per year malpractice insurance? Is he the one who has to go through all the doggone ‘red tape,’ just to keep the doors open? Is he the almighty author and provider of all America’s success? I don’t think so. In fact, he appears to be a HUGE hindrance to it.

In making outrageous statements like, “You got to spread the wealth around,” President Obama ignites that ugly class hatred among Americans. The truth is—since he’s been in office, he has been playing his childish ‘blame game,’ which also includes blaming the ‘successful’ for many of the problems that he himself has caused. All the while, he continues to promise the unicorns and receding waters, as long as we just give him another four more years. No thanks.

“Everybody needs to pay their ‘fair share,’” President Obama says, as he points his finger directly at America’s job creators (although, the top 10% already pay over 70% of federal income taxes- how much is enough, Mr. President??). What many people don’t realize is that, while he calls the job creators “millionaires and billions,” most of them are actually small family businesses.

Either way, it’s pretty sad when the president has to win support by using his ‘class warfare’ tactics to stir up hate, greed, self-pity, and envy among us. We already struggle with keeping these basic human emotions ‘in check’, without having our own president encouraging us to ‘wallow’ in them.

Sadly, President Obama is drawing many Americans away from their dependency on God by getting them to become more and more dependent on government.

As William Penn once so eloquently stated: “If man is not governed by God, he will be ruled by tyrants.” Everything comes at a price, including our “freebies.”

Many of us have argued whether Obama’s philosophy is Marxism, Communism, Fascism, Socialism, or Obamunism. It doesn’t really matter because whichever ‘ism’ it is, they all have the same root– envy. And, Envy only produces rotten fruit.

Where does President Obama’s envy come from, anyway? Does he want the success that America has? Perhaps, her spirit of self-reliance makes him feel bad? Is he going to tear her down until he takes complete power over her? I’m afraid we’ll find out if he gets reelected.

There are still many of us who believe that our rights and blessings come directly from God. However, President Obama seems to think that he actually is god, as he:

• Dispenses his blessings through his free birth control and abortion pills, food stamps, Obama phones, and many other ever-expanding entitlement programs.

• Solves our nation’s problems using government force (taking over the healthcare system, the auto industry, student loans, and so on).

•  Is the source of all America’s progress as he throws taxpayer money at bankrupted ‘green energy’ companies and nations who don’t like us very much.

Yet, the American spirit of self-reliance still stands in the way of President Obama’s seat on the throne. So, it’s no wonder he uses his executive power to stomp all over those who hold it so dear to their hearts.  While he portrays himself as benevolent, Obama makes every attempt to tax, legislate, spend, and mandate us all into servitude.

Instead of ‘warring’ with America’s success, you’d think Obama would be trying to actually lift up the poor. While his idea of compassion is “redistribution,” endless entitlement programs, and not having the poor working at all, he is actually destroying the success formula that God has designed for us.

The poor also need to have the privilege of working with their hands. Instead of destroying them with handouts, President Obama should be encouraging job creators so that they can create jobs for them. The poor also need to see the innovators within themselves. When they do, they see God’s own divine image stamped upon them. That’s what’s so great about our free-market system. We all get to create, make, and improve the ‘quality of life’ for our fellow humans. I believe Mitt Romney understands this concept very well. That’s why he has my vote.

Quite frankly, President Obama’s ‘war on success’– has us all in shackles right now. So, once shackles are removed (by returning to free-market policies), we will see normal economic productivity in the part of all Americans. Now THAT is the success formula we can all believe in…. Go Mitt Romney!!!