Emergent care for Haiti: Yes we can!
The United States, as we have historically done, is responding to the tragic situation in Haiti. I fully support that effort. It is the culture of Americans to not turn away from people in dire need, and that culture is key to what has made this country great.
I want to see our country continue to be able to reach out to others in their time of need and do what is right.
Before I go into a bit more detail here, I want to direct you to the web sites of organizations that will put your money directly to Haitian relief efforts. I don’t know about you, but I like to know where my money goes when I give it, and anything with a .gov in the web address, I would prefer to avoid because I’m not sure if the money goes where I want it to. Anyhow, here are a few of my favorite organizations that I have confidence in as suggestions because I have seen them in action:
Also, I would bet that your local church may be organizing some form of a relief effort as I write this. Even if you don’t go to church much, I encourage you to take a look around because of all the organizations, the potential for the most efficient use of your dollars rests there. There may also be opportunities to band together with the church going people in your community and do even more than just donate money.
Now, back to the discussion… We have a great country, and the world, even after vilifying us publicly, cries out for our help in their time of need. Do they call out to China? Do they call to Venezuela, or Cuba for help? No. It’s because we are not only in a position to help, but our culture demands that we make every attempt to do what is right during situations like this. It’s a product of the American people, not our government. We have to resist the mindset of looking to the government as our savior. It is our hard earned tax dollars that pays for everything the government does; wealth doesn’t originate in the government.
If we continue down the road of raising taxes, expanding the government bureaucracy and regulations, we will continue to erode the ability of our private sector to compete and create the wealth that powers our economy, jobs, our government, our standard of living, and in today’s situation, our ability to respond to human suffering in the future. Like a life guard that has allowed himself to become lazy and out of shape, he will no longer have the strength to safely rescue people.
As a people, I don’t think we want that to happen. We have had a huge lesson in this past year. We had a choice, and as a people, we chose to put democrats like Congressmen David Wu and President Obama into a supermajority. Together, they put policies like the stimulus bill into action. Democrats are pushing for Cap and Trade (basically, an energy tax), Democrats want government to take over your health care, Democrats interfered with the auto industry, the banking industry and more. Democrats also allowed the Bush tax cuts to expire this January. Democrats are expanding the size and scope of government while at the same time, attacking the very people that are creating our countries wealth.
As a voter, I look at all this and ask, is their approach working? I see current unemployment and an expanding government smashing spending records and deficits and I say no. I am hoping that as people see what effects the democrat party ideas will do when put into action, they will start to think that maybe there is another alternative.
Is it possible that putting policies in place that support growth and businesses will lead to economic growth, jobs, and maybe even enough revenue to run a lean, well managed, government? Maybe even a surplus for individuals and government so that we may be prepared during times of urgent need?
Truth is, we have not given Republicans the same chance. For all that Ronald Reagan did for the country, he was hampered by a Democrat Congress who wanted to spend any surplus available. President Bill Clinton tried to put healthcare in but failed. Following that defeat (thankfully), he takes a lot of credit for his years of fiscal responsibility, but he was forced into that by a Republican controlled Congress. George H. Bush was tricked into raising taxes by “working with” Democrats in Congress and then President George W. Bush signed off on big spending also from a Democrat controlled Congress. (He takes the blame for all that spending and fiscal irresponsibility, but a lot of that should be focused on the purse string holders in Congress like Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi, David Wu and then Senator Obama.)
I feel we are now headed in a very wrong direction with democrat supermajorities in Congress, a democrat in the White House, and a supreme court that seems to be swaying politically as well.
I say, why not give fiscally conservative Republicans a chance. Give them the same chance as what was just handed to democrats. Put a new Congress in place in both the 2010 and 2012 elections. Put a fiscal conservative Republican in the White House in 2012, and let us have a chance. Instead of hitting foul balls or striking out, I’ll bet you see some economic home runs smacked out of the park by giving guys like me a real chance.
I feel good about my country when we can reach out to people who are in an emergency like Haiti. I like it that we are strong enough to not only defend ourselves, but protect our friends too. We are still the greatest country on earth, and we need to keep it that way.
We must resist those who seek to weaken us.