A Balanced, Well Reasoned Analysis

Because these things have a way of sneaking up on us, it's never too early to start analyzing the upcoming Presidential election from the perspective of a typical Republican leaning independent voter:

Former President George W. Bush, Simple W. to friend and foe alike, and as Republican as you can get, came into office with a budget surplus which he quickly turned into the largest deficit in history. The Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, would go even further than Bush in cutting taxes--the root of the deficit. The Democratic incumbent, Barack Obama, would return taxes to the level of the Clinton years. However, Obama is black.

Goaded on by his Vice President, Dick Cheney, or if your prefer, the Dark Lord Cheney, Bush then started two "unfunded" wars. The one in Iraq was completely uncalled for and will cost us as a nation well over a trillion dollars. Romney's foreign affairs advisers are all Bush retreads. Barack Obama ended US combat involvement in Iraq, oversaw the elimination of Osama Bin Laden, and is winding down the US presence in Afghanistan. But Obama is still black.

The world wide economic meltdown was caused for the most part by an unregulated gang of Wall Street bandits who fancy themselves "Masters of the Universe." They wreaked havoc on the industrialized countries with a series of financial instruments so complexly structured that few understood them. Mitt Romney who was himself one of these "Masters of the Universe" would prefer that Wall Street be totally unregulated and we let the "free market" decide everything. Obama has called for more--not less--regulation of Wall Street.  However Obama remains black.

Health care in the US is much more expensive than in any other nation. Yet our life expectancy lags and we have millions of uninsured citizens. Mitt Romney is fine with this. Being a multi-millionaire, he has no worries about the cost of health care. "Whatever the market will bear" seems to be his motto. Despite the determined efforts of the Republican party, Obama was able to pass the first major overhaul of the US healthcare system in 40 years. It's major flaw is that it doesn't go far enough. Romney has promised to repeal every aspect of the President's program, once again depriving millions of people of healthcare.

As you can see, it will be a very tough decision for the undecided. Romney? Wrong about everything. Obama? Black.

A quick glimpse at the future

Since a 'free market' America, unshackled from any oppressive government regulation, seems to be one of the goals of the Republican Tea Party, perhaps we should take a moment or two and reflect on what that would be like.

First of all, you can kiss clean air and water goodbye. Environmental regulations only stifle business. Better watch what you eat, too, because without any FDA oversite salmonella and e coli outbreaks will be as common as the sun coming up. Mad cow, anyone? Also, why waste money testing drugs in controlled laboratory settings? Just release them to the public and see what happens.

Get used to working longer for less--that is if your job hasn't already been outsourced. Without minimum wage laws as a baseline, and with lots and lots of desperate people, employers will be free to pay as little as they want.

Social Security will be turned over to Wall Street, to treat as their own personal piggy bank, and to be invested in whatever byzantine financial instrument they can devise. Good luck getting it back.

Our public education system, once the envy of the world, will become only a fond memory. If you can't afford good private schools for your children--too bad.

The health care industry will continue to raise your premiums and increase its profits. If you can't pay, either don't get sick or go bankrupt if you do.

On the plus side, you'll pay a few dollars less in taxes, the back alley abortion business will flourish, and you'll be able to buy all the guns and ammo you want. It's morning in America!