Hope and Change

The Democratic Party in the US, considered by most to be the "Liberal" party, prefer to call themselves progressive. The Republican Party considered by most to be "Conservative" is happy with that label.

The Democratic candidate for president ran on a "Progressive" platform of "Hope and Change". This corresponds with the general definition of progressives who strive to promote and leave room for change, a dynamic system.

The "Dynamic" party accuses the opposition, Republicans (Conservatives) of wanting to stop change and in essence "freeze" our current system where it is. In essence the Democrats accuse the Republicans of wanting a stasis of our current place in time and history.


If we look closely at the programs the Obama administration's promote are far more static than dynamic.

Consider the cap-and-trade bill, designed to address what pathogenic global warming. It will mean paying more for electricity now for a very distant and tenuous goal. Because of the current similar law in California, they are now facing blackouts, and hugely more expensive electric. Mandating renewable energy from wind and solar power has the problem of calm days, cloudy or rainy days, and inconsistent power won't address the needs of Californians. This dramatic increase in electricity costs will result in dramatic decrease in economic growth. How is even more government control and government limiting energy options "Hope and change".

Considering Democrats vision (Obama's vision) of Health Care - In 2003 Obama said his intentions were to send us down a road that leads to government provided insurance. He has never denied this. His proposal for centralized medical procedures board that to decide what treatments the government would pay for and wouldn't', would dramatically stifle innovation in drugs, medical procedures, and medical devices. Why would anybody develop a new anything if it wasn't on pre-approved procedure for payment? You don't develop new things, if you cannot expect to be rewarded for that development. The government is very slow to accept new anything. This will kill progress in medicine. That doesn't sound dynamic either, it sounds very statist.

How about the Obama backed union check-card bill; it imposes a mandatory federal setting of wages and work rules after 120 days of union-management negotiations. Why would a union ever agree to anything, when it knows it can get the government to mandate what it wants in 6 months? Centralized mediators would determine pay and work rules. Modeled after those of unionized government workers like those in the United Auto Workers. They have multiple thousands of pages of work rules. Don't you dare help unload that truck that pulled up, you have to wait for the right union guy to do it. How will this enable employers and employees work together to utilize their creativity and initiative in the work place? Instead of dynamic work environment you have static government controlled work environments.


How do the Democrats (progressives) treat people in other countries under Obama. Obama has not only show indifference to the people of Iran protesting for freedom, but considers the Iranians protesting for an end of a regime that subordinates women and executes homosexuals, as a nuisance to negotiating with mullahs and Mahmound Ahmidinejad. That doesn't look like "Hope and Change" for the people of Iran, but looks like promotion of the status-quo of despair and oppression.

It seems the only "Hope and Change" Obama, his administration, and the Democrats want is to change this country to allow centralized authorities choose your future for you, and hope you don't revolt.