Columns

What can we expect now?

DONALD MYERS, A Mind of
Published: November 10, 2012

Tuesday night was a most disappointing time for me and millions of others. I truly believed that we would elect a new president and end the current rush to disaster. That did not happen, so what can we expect for the future?

In 2010 at the mid-term elections when the Republicans won about 800 positions throughout the country from dog catcher to governors, mayors, senators, and everything else, the opinion among many was that much like Clinton, President Obama would move to the center. Needless to say, that did not happen.

At his acceptance speech Tuesday night, the president said that he was willing to reach across the aisle. I hope that is true, but I doubt it. His idea of cooperation is when the Republicans agree with everything that he wants to do.

Higher taxes are a key element in his repertoire, but even if the Republican congress agrees, those taxes will not even make a dent in the deficit. The major solution is to reduce spending and not just reduce the rate of increase in spending. Real cuts are needed not make believe.

Businesses have been reluctant to invest because of their fear for the future. They not only compete in this country but globally and as such must control expenses.

Regulations and taxes raise the cost of business and cause our companies to be unable to compete. In the past, the president stated that he would work around congress to achieve his goals.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) interfered with Boeing when it wanted to build a plant in a non-union state. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added more and more restrictions on energy producers such that our energy cost production is high. Coal is especially hurting.

Recall in 2008 when the president as a candidate stated that coal plants could be built, but regulations would bankrupt them. He has been filling that promise. Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a directive that requires religious affiliated organizations to provide health insurance covering abortion and contraceptives that is against their religious principles. These are just a few of the examples of actions of the president and his administration during the past four years. There are many others and each one causes businesses or organizations difficulty.

With that in mind, what can we expect in the next years? The president no longer must face the voters. The Bush tax cuts are due to expire on Dec. 31 and new taxes from the health care bill will start on Jan 1.

The lame duck congress will probably try to kick the can down the road for a temporary relief, but a solution is necessary. If the past is any indication, I suspect that more regulations and interpretations from the EPA, HHC, and other agencies will flow from the administration. Treaties that place the United Nations in positions of power will be pushed as never before. Executive orders that skirt our laws will continue and possibly increase. A federal budget will continue to be unwritten and passed. The military will endure significant cuts. As all of this transpires, the debt will continue to grow and our financial rating will probably be reduced again.

This is not a very positive scenario and I am not a pessimistic person by nature, but I look at the history of the past four years along with the ideological bent of the president and see little reason for optimism.

In 2010 when there was significant reason for adjusting his approach, he did not budge. Now, he has no overriding reason to adjust since he no longer must face the electorate.

Donald J. Myers, a retired colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, is a regular columnist for Hernando Today. He lives in Spring Hill and can be contacted at dmyersusmc@aol.com.