On the campaign trail last month, Obama lambasted Republicans, saying, "Republicans have not come up with one new idea." Putting aside the fact that Obama is 'factually incorrect,' (see Rep. Mike Ryan's 'Roadmap for America') his statement embodies the fatal flaw of progressivism.
Winston Churchill said, "The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see." Obama disagrees.
Each and every "new" policy of Obama's administration in the last 20 months has one thing in common. Their foundations are lodged in wishful thinking, hope, if you will, that Obama's perception of reality will magically translate into the underlying reality. They are all "new" solutions to old problems.
New solutions to old problems are an essential element of America's spirit of entrepreneurship and one of the reasons America leads the world in innovation. Unfortunately, Obama's view of progressivism completely excludes the lessons of history.
It comes as no surprise to students of history that Obama's solutions are not working. From bailouts to the cutely named "stimulus" programs, from ObamaCare to the government take-over of many segments of the formerly private economy, every solution Obama has proposed or implemented has been tried in the past. And they have all failed in the past. Just as they are failing now.
Whether due to ideology, ignorance, hubris or naivety, Obama appears to believe he can define his own reality. He is like a young child who, by closing his eyes convinces himself that no-one can see him. Obama is the result of a liberal education un-tempered by real-life experience or economic necessity. Or the lessons of history.
Our founders designed the system of federalism, wisely leaving to the states the ability to experiment with new solutions. The states are America's laboratories, implementing new solutions on a small scale, minimizing the risk of failure and those darn unintended consequences. Until now.
Never having been held responsible for the outcome of his actions, Obama sails merrily forth advocating his, not so new, ideas, secure in the knowledge that the American taxpayers will be paying the very real cost of his mistakes. As we are now doing on a daily basis.
Obama's reliance on the ideological tactics employed by many of his known mentors and friends, has resulted in a measurable decline in America, economically, politically and militarily.
His inability to allow for the possibility that history, tradition or conservative principles may offer a possible solution to the current economic mess America remains mired in, guarantees that America's problems will not be solved as long as Obama holds office.
As Obama struggles to redefine reality to his specifications, history marches on, with dire consequences for the future of America. As history shows:
The average age of the world's greatest civilization from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:
1. From bondage to spiritual faith
2. From spiritual faith to great courage
3. From courage to liberty
4. From liberty to abundance
5. From abundance to complacency
6. From complacency to apathy
7. From apathy to dependence
8. From dependence back into bondage
Obama is either unaware of the course of history, or he is counting on it.
