According to a new poll it seems many Americans have accepted Barack Obama’s explanation of the stagnant economy which has prevailed for his entire administration. They blame Bush.

It’s like this; the sorry state of the American economy was inherited from the George W. Bush administration. Moreover, the direction of this administration had apparently gone so far agley that the “hope and change” agenda of Obama has not yet been able to turn things around.

Well maybe, but the smart people out there recognize that America’s problems are not the fault of one man or one administration. Economically, the basic problem is government spending gone out of control.

Spending is the Problem

With few exceptions this has been the case since before the Great Depression, which gave rise to the New Deal. The impacts of any exceptions were neutralized by the rising juggernaut of the modern welfare state, which rests on the myth that everyone can live off of everyone else.

It makes little difference which cadre of thieves and professional prevaricators is elected to Congress and the Presidency. They are elected and govern on the strength and influence of pressure groups and lobbyists. That means in essence, money for votes. Politicians play a money game; getting elected and holding office are the incentives they follow. The power held by modern politicians is very seductive; however, the power to tax is the power to destroy.

Leadership Crisis

There is also a leadership crisis. Obama’s “hope and change” agenda supposedly ran into the culture of Washington D.C., thereby providing yet another explanation for his failures. Politics trumps economics. We are supposed to believe, by the way, that the intent of George W. Bush was always to promote policies that destroy the economy.

Neither Bush nor Obama have been outstanding leaders by any stretch of imagination. America needs a leader who recognizes the basic issue and is prepared to address it vigorously for a 4-year term. Anyone tough enough to do this would no doubt be unappreciated and unlikely to be re-elected. When more than half the population is on some car of the handout gravy train, popularity goes to big spenders. Such a person would have to explain what is meant exactly by a campaign of “hope and change,” for example.

Time to Accept Responsibility

If the problem is government spending, which should be obvious, leaders need the frankness to say so and then commit to a plan to get the government budget on track. Simply committing to spending only what is taken in tax revenues would be a good start. Households accept responsibility all the time. When they don’t they may go bankrupt eventually and have to start over. Government is not immune to the same economic restrictions over time. It is insufficient to continue to blame Bush.

©Copyright 2012 Edward Podritske