The Grown-ups Are Coming

A highly cliched societal theme is that of the parents leaving for the evening or weekend and entrusting their teenagers with the care of their home. Inevitably the teens invite their friends over to party and end up wreaking havoc. But then the parents return home and it becomes time to pay the piper. I was as uncomfortable with that concept as a teenager as a I am now. What's worse is that I feel that's what has been happening with our government over the last few decades. The "party", while the grown-ups are gone, has been steadily decaying into absolute chaos and now we have reached critical stage. It's time for the grown-ups to come home and clean up the mess and administer any and all necessary consequences.

The Europeans have been laboring under the burdens of socialism for decades. But the inevitable results of socialism are being felt in full force today. The economies of Greece, Spain, France and Britain (among others) are collapsing. The grown-ups in some of those countries are finally starting to exert some long overdue parenting. France, for example, has been allowing their citizens to retire at age 60 and receive some form of government pension for the rest of their lives. An aging population, declining birthrates and increased life-expectancies have rendered this a budgetary impossibility. So, the grown-ups decided to raise the retirement age to 62 (horrors!!). Not surprisingly, the opposition Socialist Party and the labor unions are staunchly opposed. Weeks of rioting and strikes have ensued amongst the highly entitled sector of the French population.

Meanwhile in Great Britain, the new coalition leadership in Parliament has decided to slash their deficit. Over the next four years they are cutting over $130 billion of spending, eliminating 490,000 public sector jobs AND raising taxes by$45 billion. Ouch. Similar things are of necessity happening in Germany, Spain and Greece.

Socialism at its finest has been exposed for all the world to see. In the history of the world, there has never been a successful case of socialism as an enduring, thriving form of government that allows for economic growth and G0d-given freedoms to its citizenry. Socialism is failing dramatically in Europe. Sadly, many of the people there fail to see the importance of these drastic measures for their very survival. They have been lulled to sleep by a "caring", paternal government, meeting their every need--even when it meant astronomical tax rates and oppressive, intrusive government, with its accompanying lack of freedom. Europeans have become comfortable enough, that they have also become soft and dependent. Now they are angry they have to give up the "free stuff".

In spite of the obvious examples all around us, the current administration is running pell mell down the same rat hole the Europeans dug. With government takeovers and health care "reform" alone we have done our level best to "catch up" with our European betters. Liberals have lamented for years our inferiority to Europe because we don't "take care" of our people. But the party may be ending. After decades of progressive policy, starting with Bush I, the grown-ups may be coming home. Tuesday's election results make me hopeful that the grown-ups have finally come to their senses and are retaking control of this government. The Founding Fathers always intended for the government to be run by the citizens of this nation, not a select group of elitists who think they have superior intellect and the divine right to govern their lesser neighbors. Grown-ups realize the certainties of life needed to save ourselves and our nation: 1) You can't spend more than you earn. 2) Nothing in life is free. 3) If it sounds too good to be true, it is. 4) Mature people take responsibility for their choices. 5) If we are to fix our problems, it is up to us. 5) Life isn't fair. 6) Government does not solve problems, can't create jobs and does not provide happiness. 7) Politicians are liars and cannot be trusted.

Today, I have more hope than I have had for a long time, based on Tuesday's election results. The Republicans won 66 seats (to date) in the House of Representatives and gained 6 seats in the Senate. But my confidence is not in the political parties. My confidence is in the new blood that is being sent to the legislative halls throughout the country. Ten states flipped their governorships from Liberal to Conservative. Nineteen state legislatures had the same results. Those results are all potentially positive, but I have little confidence in the Republicans and less in the Democrats. They all need to be watched and held to account. We must never be lulled to sleep again and never into the deep sleep of the Europeans.

On the other side is the Obama administration, in which I place no hope. It is my belief that Pres. Obama is a firmly entrenched ideaologue who is too committed to his cause to play the "smart" political games. He will not move to the center. In some ways, I hope he doesn't. That will ensure his defeat in 2012. I am also glad that the Democrats retain control of the Senate because they therefore still control two thirds of the government. They will still have to own the responsibility of their chosen political course. The good news is that the House now has the power to bring it all to a screeching halt, which is exactly what I want right now. The more gridlock we have in government, the better. Massive change and rollback will have to wait for the next elections with an accompanying removal of a veto threat. 2012 will be here before we know it and we will have the opportunity to further the changes mandated by the midterms. I do have hope that the American people are coming to their senses. But this is only the first battle in a long war ahead--a war that must be led by grown-ups.