Michael Patrick Carroll's blog

Among the first columns I ever penned for this august website was entitled "Us vs. Them", a (lighthearted) series of observations about the differences between "us" – conservatives – and "them" – liberals/socialists.

Perhaps the primary difference between "us" and "them" is our differing views on the role of government. "We" believe that government exists to preserve freedom, including, of course, economic freedom; to permit people to earn what they can and keep what they earn. "They", on the other hand, believe that government exists to establish "fairness"; that as freedom rewards talent and effort, both of which are maldistributed throughout the population, government should take from talented, productive folks and give to their less talented, less driven neighbors.

The "evidence" for Obama’s plan is that when more people depend upon government, Democrats prosper. And to that evidence, the President is paying strict attention.

This sounds like a bad joke: what kind of stimulus doesn’t stimulate? Answer: the Obama Democrat economic non-stimulus package.

Perhaps afraid of promising too much, Obama decided to promise nothing at all.

A modern rendition of an American classic.

Less than two score and seven months ago, our electorate brought forth in this State, a new administration, conceived in socialism and dedicated to the proposition that government exists to responsibly share our economic bounty.

Now we are immersed in a great economic collapse, demonstrating that that Administration, or any administration so conceived and so dedicated, cannot deliver prosperity. Here in the Assembly Chambers, we are met on the site of the genesis of that collapse. We have come to confiscate a portion of your property as a stipend for those who here gave their votes that that Administration might prevail. It was altogether predictable that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not confiscate -- we can not appropriate -- we can not hollow -- your wallets. Previous Administrations, elected or ordained, who prevaricated here, have confiscated it, far above our poor power to reach it now that many of you live in Pennsylvania.

King Canute famously commanded the tide to halt; curiously, the tide refused to listen. King Obama and his leftist allies stand upon the beach, commanding the economic ocean to obey. They’re going to get wet, and drown us all in the process.

Instead of borrowing trillions to waste on make-work governmental projects, stimulate the economy with tax cuts.

OK, he didn't say precisely that, but when the Chairman of the Budget Committee informs us that governmental spending is the key to prosperity, that's troublesome.

With this painful electoral cycle behind us, it's time for the GOP to present a conservative, freedom-centered alternative to Obama's failed policies.

We defeated our former socialist adversaries by harnessing the power of the free market.  Now, they threaten to bury us by making their markets freer than ours.