Liberty, freedom not Obama priorities

I went to my Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary to read the definitions of “freedom” and “liberty.” I found that they are virtually identical but for an emphasis on government’s role.

The first three definitions of “liberty” are: “1) freedom from arbitrary or despotic government control, 2) freedom from external or foreign rule; independence, 3) freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking, speaking, etc. according to choice.”

Under freedom there is the physical definition and then 16 additional interpretations dealing with control. Such as: exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc... Then: power to make one’s own choices or decisions without constraint from within or without; autonomy, self-determination. And also: “Civil liberty as opposed to subjection to an arbitrary or despotic government.”

What sent me to the dictionary is the ongoing debacle and phony fixes by President Barack Obama. Now I know this may make some of you mad or uneasy, but Obama’s actions are just too arrogant and condescending to ignore. The inevitable conclusion is that his goal is to reduce the United States to Third World ranking and, in keeping with his socialist/progressive philosophy, relegate the citizenry to serf status subject to government control!

I hear the true believers’ howls of derision as they read these comments, but I suggest that you worshippers at the altar of Obama continue reading. Obamacare is but one of many actions that he has undertaken to achieve his desired goal. He knew in June 2010 that up to 93 percent of insurance policies would be canceled because of Obamacare regulations. So, for three years, he lied repeatedly about keeping plans and doctors if you liked them! Most people don’t understand this treachery. Recall that in speeches to his loyal union supporters, Obama stated that he wanted single-payer health care. To achieve this he must destroy the capitalist system. The current planned meltdown may achieve this goal.

All the progressives will insist it was done to help those 20 or 30 or 40 million uninsured get insurance policies. So in order to get that tenuous number of insurance policies, we have spent a billion dollars thus far on a website that doesn’t work and have arbitrarily canceled 5 million (at last count) current satisfied customers. That number will rise to at least the projected 90 million cancellations. And the Obama administration was aware of that in 2010. Now the president rushes to the rescue and says he will wave his executive order wand and magically restore those policies.

What? He thinks he can unscramble an egg? The insurance companies seduced by Obama and the vision of millions of more expensive plans (as defined by the president) have been working for three years to rewrite their plans.

But wait, Obama needs to look magnanimous and make evil big insurance toe the mark (for one year — wink, wink) so he proclaims a moratorium and reinstates the plans.

Well, enough of the Obamacare Kabuki Dance; it has accomplished its goal.

Let’s look at the American economy in its decline.

Average unemployment rate under Clinton, Bush, and Obama: 5.21 percent, 5.27 percent, and 9.36 percent, respectively.

Drilling permit approval rates for Clinton, Bush, and Obama: 58 percent increase, 116 percent increase and

36 percent decrease, respectively.

Then there is the national debt which has doubled during Obama’s five-year reign. And let’s not forget the 19 million people who were added to the food stamp roles in the last five years, bringing the total to more than 47 million souls.

There are some things that especially anger me. Being long in the tooth gives me a perspective that the 30-somethings lack. It’s not their fault; they just were born later than I.

American citizens no longer can smoke in public, we are told to buckle up in cars that are designed in Washington, D.C., our email, phone calls and shopping choices are collected by nameless, faceless bureaucrats “for our own good.” Our food choices are narrowed to those healthy enough to consume. That determination once again is made by nameless-faceless bureaucrats “for our own good”.

And for all us conspiracy theorists, how about the 15 executive orders that allows the government to take over all property, guns, food, housing, financial transactions and move citizens to relocation camps for our protection. All that’s required is a declaration of martial law during a national emergency. The president shall determine what is a “national emergency”!

Have a great day.

Larry Tradlener lives in McElmo Canyon.