Who in their right mind ...

... would want this job?

Are you nuts?  Out of your mind?  You got to be kidding.  You want me to run for president of the United States?  Are you crazy?

There was a time when running the country was not necessarily easy but at least there were accepted fundamentals that set limits on what anyone -  president, senator, governor, police chief; anyone, could do.  Those limits are all gone.

We know; we know, the media and the politicians in power and all their hired bureaucrats would have you believe that we now live in such a better place; so many safeguards; so many benefits and safety nets; so much technology and conveniences and we owe it all to this wonderful combination of democracy and progress and, to no small extent, public service.  If you doubt this conclusion, just watch who the media glorifies and who the politician’s credit. 

Here is a short list of the problems and issues facing anyone who becomes the next president of the United States:

1.    So much debt that even a small increase in interest rates – one or two percent, will render the country incapable of meeting its obligations.

2.    A looming trade war with China.

3.    Dominance of the military industrial complex in demanding almost one third of all the tax monies collected annually for their adventures in foreign lands.

4.    Huge segments of the population without any skills usable in the workplace; more coming in every day, legally.

5.    Unaccounted for millions of illegal aliens demanding legal and political rights.

6.    One half the population depending on the government for sustenance while federal government revenues decline and their expenses skyrocket.

7.    A health care system that costs 2 – 3 times more than anywhere else and produces no consequential results for the inflated costs.

8.    An education system that benefits its unionized employees at terrifically inflated cost levels and has failed those students who need it most.

9.    More citizens working for governments at all levels than ever before and fewer citizens working in wealth creating jobs than ever before.

10. Investors with capital who routinely choose to invest overseas where the environment is receptive and returns are predictable.

There is no one politician on the face of the earth who can deal with, much less correct, this situation.  It is out of control.  The limits on everything have been abandoned; the greed of individuals and groups of individuals; we call them protected classes and special interests, have placed their out of control demands ahead of any national interest or any common good.  Politicians try to deal with their demands; placate them to keep the lid on their forces.  The result is segments – unionized public employees, pensioners, minorities, subsidized businesses, trial lawyers and more citizens than at any time in history receiving either a check or a reimbursement of some sort from some government somewhere in the land or some special consideration – a law or a regulation or a judgment or a zoning ruling or something from some authority being enforced by some government employee in your neighborhood.

No limits.  If someone wants it and they can holler loud enough and long enough they will get something; some form of control or protection or tax or fee or rule. 

No limits.

How can you run something when there are no limits?

You simply can’t.  We see it now with the present president.  What can he do?  He has his own ideas about what he wants to do and a good 50% of the people see his plans as possibly giving them something for nothing.  Why not support him?  Get it while you can seems to be his overriding philosophy.  He never talks about limits.  Even he says things are getting worse.

We don’t hear much from the opposition candidates about limits either.  Apparently the highly paid consultants don’t think that one word should enter their vocabulary much less show up in a speech or a debate.  Someone, somewhere should ask them about the LIMITS they will place on government.

Without limits you have nothing.  Without caps on spending, debt, taxes, laws, controls, rules; you name it, you have no democracy.  You attract the people who want something for nothing.  You drive away the people with money to invest. 

The country started because enough of its citizens wanted limits placed on an out of control government.  We have gone full circle; accelerating the last 50 years to complete the trip.  Any government without limits becomes promiscuous and abusive.  And there is no government capable of maintaining limits on itself; they must be imposed from without.

A smart candidate will try to set some limits locally; in his/her backyard where it may still be possible to get 51% of the citizens to see the value in setting limits.  If we can get enough states and cities to set limits it may carry over to Washington DC.  It will not come from Washington DC.   Our principal and ongoing critique of Mr. Obama is that he never stuck with anything long enough to see it through.  Illinois and Chicago have lots of problems, including some similar to those described above.  Obama did nothing to address much less solve those problems.

We think Chris Christie understands this simple fact but we will withhold judgment for some time.  Christie could not make a dent in any of the ten problems/issues listed above.  He has a chance in his own backyard.  Let's wish him well.  He was smart to take a pass and focus on New Jersey. 

Ohio started to set some limits and then a very selfish group used the political process to stop this progress.  They put it to the voters who actually voted in, just one year earlier, politicians who started to set limits.  What did the voters of Ohio do?  Did they support the politicians taking the heat for setting limits?  Not a chance.  They folded.  In the privacy of a voting booth where the selfish government employees cannot exercise their intimidation skills, 61% of the Ohio voters collapsed and folded.

Believe it or not, a Democrat governor and a Democrat legislature in the state of Rhode Island finally said enough to the public employee unions and passed, by a pretty good margin, some sensible limits on just how much money can be extorted from taxpayers to enrich unionized public employees.  It just may be that the ultimate hope for this country will be Democrat politicians saying "enough" to their public employee supporters.  An interesting variation on the concept that "only Nixon could go to China."

In the meantime, who in their right mind will take on the task without overwhelming support from the citizens?  In the Democrat Party, the majority party, only one person is seeking the job.  A few more in the minority party.

You gotta be nuts.