Politicians and the media constantly ask “What’s the matter with the economy?” The answer was on glorious display this past weekend. Ironically, it is the politicians and media who are ruining it. “The storm of the century” turned out to be “the most hyped storm of the century,” along with one of the most hysterical, exaggerated, manipulated media events of all time. Irene was a…rainstorm. A big one, a bad one…but nonetheless, a rainstorm. But a large dangerous rainstorm didn’t fit the agenda of the power-hungry politicians, or their partners in the business of hysteria, the “if it bleeds, it leads” national media doom machine.

Media and politicians need big catastrophes and emergencies to burnish their images and make them seem important. They need to brandish words like “the worst ever” “the biggest ever” “the most deadly ever.” The media loves these bigger-than-life headlines because they are highly profitable. The bigger, the better- it’s all good for business. The more hysterical they can make the public, the higher the ratings. Catastrophes SELL!

Politicians also need catastrophes and emergencies- to show they are in charge, looking out for us helpless little people.  Politicians desperately need high profile platforms to showcase their leadership skills, to shout “Get out now, or you’ll die. I’m saving your life. I’m the only thing that stands between you and annilihation.” Emergencies allow politicians to bully, intimidate and threaten citizens, and to prove how obviously more important and brilliant they are than the lowly citizens. And, of course, if the politician is right, and the worst happens, they’ve got a platform to shout about how much we need them and how indebted we should be to them.

But what if they’re wrong? Shouldn’t they be held accountable for pulling a false alarm? Shouldn’t they be called out for needlessly scaring citizens, shutting down entire cities, entire states, the entire Eastern Seaboard for…a big rainstorm? Shouldn’t they pay the consequences for threatening and intimidating their own citizens to abandon their homes and businesses…for a big rainstorm?

Shouldn’t someone point out their exaggerations and hysteria cost citizens billions of dollars in lost wages, aggravation and inconvenience. Or how the billions more were lost by businesses because of the politicians’ hysterical decision to close America’s biggest city, sending tourists running for their lives…all for a big rainstorm. Not only was a city shut down for days, the streets emptied, the transportation system shut down, but it will take days after “the non-event of the century” to get business back to normal. In the private sector, you’d be fired or retired for a decision this bad, costing shareholders billions of dollars. Any CEO that made a decision like this would be called “weak” “over-reacting” “skittish” and “not fit for leadership.” And of course, Congress would demand hearings.

But, not in politics. In politics, the pols have the microphone and the camera, and they own the hearings. Do you want to know why Americans hate politicians so much? Because not a single one will stand up and say “We made a huge hysterical, exaggerated mistake.” Instead the pompous, ego-maniacs will drone on for days with their cover-up story- claiming they saved lives, that things would have been worse without their heroic warnings and efforts, and that we should stop analyzing their mistake, and instead just be thankful it wasn’t worse. That’s called “spin.”

And how about the media? They got exactly what they wanted. They built a big rainstorm into “the event of the century,” which resulted in record ratings as brainwashed zombies tuned into 24-hour news coverage for days on end, all to watch…a rainstorm. Of course it was a big rainstorm descending on New York, the self-important media capital of the world. The fact that the homes of media stars and celebrities were threatened justified making this a 24/7 national media event.

This is the ego-maniacal conspiracy of media and politicians ruining our economy. They are symbiotic (as well as idiotic), and thick as thieves. They desperately need each other. The media needs the politicians and local bureaucrats with intimidating titles to scream and rant about impending doom. That makes for big news headlines and results in massive ratings.

The politicians need the platform provided by the media, and their 24 hour hype machines. The media makes these politicians and bureaucrats into stars, which in turn attracts more viewers, raises ratings and sells more newspapers. Afterall, every good TV thriller requires a leading man or woman. Everyone wins- except, of course, the citizens.

So now the cover-up begins. The politicians will lie and deny, defend themselves with the same fervor and hysteria they used to deceive and frighten us, and whenever possible, cite exaggerated costs of the destruction to validate their mistake. Who will bother to argue about whether the losses were really “in the billions” or “tens of billions,” or actually were closer to $18.50? Remember, the bigger the number, the more impressed and intimidated the public will be.

The media will happily go along with it, searching desperately for the biggest puddles, the three wooden piers that fell down, the trees that landed on cars, the power outages, and of course the traffic fatalities and heart attacks- ignoring the fact that these same things happen in every big storm. All to justify 24/7 national news coverage of the “most hyped storm of the century.” It’s in the media’s best interest to play along with the big cover-up, or else the public might lose faith and blame them too. The media might lose credibility. And God forbid, people might choose to stop watching, listening, or reading.

Next the media will burn the midnight oil asking how they can get the public’s attention off this big scam…err I mean big scare. And the answer will come quickly. “Let’s give the brainwashed zombies more hype…a different hype…Kim Kardashians’ wedding highlights.” And soon, everything will be forgotten.

No one will call out the politicians who once again cost the economy and taxpayers billions…and the media who enabled it. Thank goodness we always have the Kardashians to bail us out of trouble. If only we could get them to run the economy.

 

By Wayne Allyn Root, Former Libertarian Vice Presidential Nominee     Obama finally got something right. Can you believe it? In a recent interview, Obama said he is confident we will not enter a double dip recession. Brilliant Sherlock. That is because we never left the first dip. Only Obama could get something so right, because he is so wrong.   While Obama, Fed Chief Bernanke, Treasury Secretary Geithner, and various other Obama economists, lackeys and socialist cabal members drone on about double dip, or not to double dip, common folks on Main Street understand that there has never been a recovery.   The continuing Great Recession started on Bush’s watch in 2007 and has never ended. Like Herbert Hoover, another Republican President who panicked, and failing Capitalism 101, abandoned fiscal conservative principles, George W. Bush turned to big government to “save us.” And as usual, the more government tries to save us, the worse it gets. So Bush channeled Hoover, starting the bailouts, stimulus, and insane levels of spending and government intervention.   Then, just when you thought it could not get any worse, along came Obama with his “Axis of Evil” game plan. What is the “Axis of Evil,” you ask? It is the principles to which Obama’s life is dedicated: Taxation, Regulation, Government Strangulation, Unionization and Litigation. Obama is obsessed.  He drools and dreams of taxes, lawyers, and unions. He reads his daughters bedtime stories about his heroes — IRS auditors, union goons, and the greatest class action lawyers of all-time. At Christmas, he decorates his tree with IRS tax forms, union labels, and law firm mastheads.   Obama actually believes that unemployment checks and food stamps are economic stimulus, jobs are created by lawsuits and tax money grows on trees. He believes teachers unions educate children (although not his little girls — they are safely tucked away in private school for $60,000 per year). He believes Lincoln saved the union — the auto union, teachers union and government employees union. Obama and Michelle’s favorite song must be “Axis of Evil” sung by Geithner & The Taxes.   Like other big government comrades such as Castro, Chavez, Mao, or that dashing couple that bankrupted Argentina, Eva & Juan Peron, Obama actually believes this stuff. He drinks the Axis of Evil Kool-Aid. Of course it has a union label. Much like Kosher foods that are blessed and approved by a rabbi, Obama’s foods are blessed and approved by the SEIU. His Presidential limo features a bumper sticker that states “Workers of the World Unite.”   Obama’s Axis of Evil has wrecked the U.S. economy from sea to shining sea. This Axis of Evil targeted, demonized, frightened, and punished business owners until there were no jobs. It is this Axis of Evil that turned Bush’s Great Recession into the Obama Great Depression. It is this Axis of Evil climate of fear that has turned this nation into Obamageddon.   Only those who are blind or drink the Kool-Aid can fail to see that America is in shambles, chaos and unprecedented crisis. True unemployment is at Great Depression levels. The Real Estate collapse has surpassed the Great Depression. The stock market is limping along, on the verge of collapse. Consumer confidence, manufacturing, and retail sales are plummeting. Inflation is skyrocketing (on the products that matter — energy and food prices). Banks cannot lend because they are either insolvent or handcuffed by new government regulations. And, our AAA credit rating is gone for the first time in history.   Our national debt goes up $3 million per minute under Obama. In one day under Obama the debt went up $200 billion — more than the entire 2007 deficit under Bush. But have no fear — our President is hard at work on the golf course at Martha’s Vineyard. Rest assured he is burning the midnight oil searching for the solution to save our economy. You just never know what you might find in a golf hole or on a putting green. Perhaps the answer to all our troubles is staring at Obama…in the clubhouse. Thank goodness Obama is on the job!   Obama is a tax stalker obsessed with these Axis of Evil ideas. Taxes and government spending are the twin monsters he turns to in a pinch every time. As he plays golf all over Cape Cod, rest assured he has visions of entitlements and tax fairies dancing in his head. The reason American business is frightened and paralyzed is because Obama’s obsessions (taxes, spending and regulation) and best friends (lawyers and unions) are the mortal enemies of all taxpayers, job creators, investors and small business owners. Obama’s game plan has created a climate of fear, uncertainty and crisis.   But at least Obama got one thing right — there is no chance of a double dip. Not in the middle of this Great Obama Depression. There is no recovery – only debt, depression and disaster. As long as the Axis of Evil reigns supreme, there can be no recovery, no new jobs, no hope or change.   Taxation, Regulation, Government Strangulation, Unionization and Litigation. The Axis of Evil ruins lives, kills jobs, redistributes our wealth, destroys workforce productivity, hinders investment, and weakens heroes of the workforce like kryptonite.   There is nowhere left to hide…except the golf course.   Wayne Allyn Root is a former Libertarian vice presidential nominee. He now serves as Chairman of the Libertarian National Congressional Committee. He is the best-selling author of “The Conscience of a Libertarian: Empowering the Citizen Revolution with God, Guns, Gold & Tax Cuts.” His web site: www.ROOTforAmerica.com

 

By Wayne Allyn Root, Former Libertarian Vice Presidential Nominee

 

 

America is in shambles from sea to shining sea. Unemployment is at Great Depression levels. Real Estate is collapsing. The stock market is crumbling. Retail sales are vanishing. Consumer confidence is plummeting. Inflation is skyrocketing (on the products that matter- energy and food prices). And of course, our U.S. Triple A credit rating is gone for the first time in history.

 

America is staring at economic disaster- Obamageddon. We are the Titanic, headed straight for the iceberg. Even delusional 500 point up days on Wall Street will not change the frightening long term picture. The iceberg is straight ahead.

 

Obama and his socialist cabal have channeled Hoover and FDR, who turned an ordinary bust into The Great Depression with a toxic strategy of more government, more spending, more debt, more entitlements, more rules and regulations strangling business, higher minimum wages, more power to unions, higher taxes, more printing of money by Fed, and trade tariffs. This is the Obama blueprint squared.

 

Here’s where the story gets downright frightening. This time the results are going to be dramatically worse than 1929. This time we are facing The Greatest Depression ever. Obamageddon.

 

Why? Because The Great Depression had NONE of problems and obligations we are now facing:

 

In 1929 America was not $100 trillion in debt and unfunded liabilities.

 

In 1929, most of our states were not bankrupt, insolvent and dependent on the federal government to survive. Entering the last Great Depression, California was not imitating Greece.

 

In 1929, we had far fewer government employees living off taxpayers. Today there are over 21 million federal, state and local government employees. Today 1 out of 5 federal employees earn over $100,000. 77,000 federal employees earn more than the Governors of their states. Government employees retire at age 50 with $100,000 pensions for life. The postal service – without competition- loses $8 billion annually. Protected by their unions and the politicians they elect, government employees are bankrupting America.

 

In 1929, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid didn’t exist. The federal government had no such obligations threatening to consume the entire federal budget within a few years.

 

In 1929, there was no such thing as welfare, food stamps, aid to dependent children, or English as a second language programs.  American’s didn’t consider it the responsibility of government to pay for breakfast and lunch for school students - let alone illegal immigrants.

 

In 1929, we didn’t have millions of illegal immigrants and their children collecting billions of dollars in entitlements from U.S. taxpayers.

 

In 1929, legal immigrants wanted only to work. My grandparents from Russia and Germany received no government benefits. They worked day and night to provide for their family and become American citizens. It was sink or swim.

 

In 1929, we had 150 million citizens with a strong work ethic- all motivated to earn the American Dream for their children and grandchildren. Americans were hungry in 1929. Today the hungry, motivated citizens and entrepreneurs are in China and India.

 

In 1929, we had an education system that was the envy of the world. Today our public schools are in shambles. We spend the most in the world, and get among the worst results. The difference today? Teachers unions are in charge, instead of parents.

 

Our dumbed-down students are taught socialism and the great benefits of big government. They graduate with few skills, qualified only for low paying manufacturing jobs that no longer exist- they’ve been shipped to China and India. How will this hopeless, helpless, clueless workforce earn a living for the rest of their lives?

 

In 1929 taxes were much lower. Forget the tax rates- they were meaningless. In those days we had a cash economy, so most businesses paid little or no taxes. Sales and FICA taxes didn’t exist. Today the combined local, state, property, gas, sales, FICA and federal taxes are the highest burden in history. This stifles entrepreneurship and hinders the financial risk-taking necessary to create jobs and get out of a Great Depression.

 

Yet in the face of this unprecedented carnage from sea to shining sea, government bureaucrats think it’s a priority to shut down lemonade stands run by 4 year olds. And have SWAT teams raid farms for selling…raw milk. And clamp down on Americans sitting in their own bedrooms, on their own computers, playing online poker with their own money. Insanity reigns.

 

Do you get the picture? This Obama Great Depression is compounded by levels of debt, taxes, spending, entitlements, government bureaucracy & idiocy, as well as sheer numbers of government  employees and illegal immigrants never imagined in 1929. Disaster looms. The iceberg bears down upon us.

 

We are in deep, deep trouble. There is no easy way out. The economy is crumbling. The situation is turning more hopeless by the hour. All of this is caused by big government. Yet Obama’s solution is bigger government. We are addicted to spending. Obama’s solution is more spending. We have mountains of debt. Obama’s solution is more debt. Taxpayers and the Tea Party are revolting. Obama’s solution is to blame the victims.

 

The solution is simple- cut government, cut spending, cut entitlements, cut the debt, cut taxes, stop the wars, end the Fed, term limit politicians, back the dollar with a gold standard…and most importantly, send Obama packing before there is no economy or country left to save. Or, like so many other great empires of history, America may never recover from this greatest of all depressions.

 

Obamageddon.

 

 

Wayne Allyn Root is a former Libertarian vice presidential nominee. He now serves as Chairman of the Libertarian National Congressional Committee. He is the best-selling author of “The Conscience of a Libertarian: Empowering the Citizen Revolution with God, Guns, Gold & Tax Cuts.” His web site: www.ROOTforAmerica.com

 

Barack Obama is my college classmate (Columbia University Class of ’83). I tried to warn the country that virtually all of my classmates and professors were Marxist or socialist, despised America, and wanted to bring down capitalism. I tried to warn the country that Obama would follow the detailed plan of two Columbia professors named Cloward and Piven- a plan designed to damage or destroy capitalism by overwhelming the U.S. economy with government spending, regulations, entitlements, taxes and debt.

That is precisely why I authored what became one of the most popular commentaries on the entire Internet in 2010 entitled “The Obama Economic Plan- Purposely Overwhelming the System to Cause Crisis and Destroy Capitalism.” I predicted Obama’s radical tax and spend policies were designed to crash the system with debt, bring us to our knees, starve business owners (the biggest contributors to his political opposition), make us all doubt capitalism, and dependent on big government. It’s all come to pass. Now for the first time in history, the USA has been stripped of its AAA credit rating.

I’ve written about this Obama plan for 2 ½ years now. My commentaries have predicted the destruction of the U.S. economy under Barack Obama, the decimation of small business and the middle class, and the start of not only the Obama Great Depression, but what I called “the Greatest Depression ever.”

Afterall when the first Great Depression began in 1929, our country was not already saddled with $100 trillion in debt. We had no obligations for welfare, food stamps, Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. We had no illegal immigrants overwhelming the budgets of our public schools and healthcare system. We didn’t have 21 million government employees with bloated salaries and unfunded $100,000 pensions. We had no Obamacare with an obligation to pay for the medical bills of every American.

Back in 1929, we also had a nation filled with hard-working citizens who believed in personal initiative and personal responsibility. All of that has changed dramatically (for the worse). Those modern government programs, entitlements and obligations add up to national catastrophe as we enter this new Obama Great Depression.

I wrote the commentary entitled “Obama The Great Jobs Killer.” Time magazine quoted my line “Obama has killed so many jobs, he should be on top of the FBI’s Most Wanted List.” That was well over a year ago. What is happening today makes the economy and unemployment picture back then look like child’s play.

I wrote “Obamageddon” a year ago about the wreckage of the U.S. economy from sea to shining sea. Today that wreckage is larger than even I imagined back then. Now our AAA credit rating is gone.

I wrote “The Unraveling of a Ponzi Scheme,” “Obama- the Marxist in the Mirror,” and “The Obama War Against Small Business.” All of them had a common theme- Obama’s goal was to target, demonize and punish the wealthy and small business owners- the very groups that pay all the taxes and create all the jobs. I predicted that the result would be economic crisis and collapse.

I wrote “The Strike- Why the Rich are Going on Strike Against Obama.” I predicted that as a result of Obama’s rhetoric and policies targeting, demonizing and punishing the rich, America’s job creators were going on strike. I predicted the economic decline would accelerate because business owners would stop producing and stop hiring, in response to being punished for their success. Each day these predictions are confirmed by alarming new economic and unemployment reports.

I wrote that Obama’s debt rampage wasn’t just suicide for Obama’s political career. It would bring us all down in a murder/suicide. The entire U.S. economy would come down upon not only taxpayers today, but our children and grandchildren for decades to come. And now along comes the humiliating credit downgrade of our once proud nation.

I wrote a commentary many months ago entitled “The Greatest Depression of All Time Has Begun.” And so it has.

Obama has ruined this economy from sea to shining sea. From the Gulf Coast economy, to the Florida Space Coast economy. From small business, to WalMart, whose most recent sales show a dramatic and frightening slowdown in customer traffic. From a complete real estate collapse, to now a complete stock market meltdown. It’s all crashing down upon us.

It’s true that the odds of Obama’s re-election just went down in a ball of flames, along with the Dow Jones Industrial Average. But no matter- Obama has accomplished his goal. He has taken down the entire U.S. economy with him. He has trashed the political opposition- small business owners who fund conservative candidates and causes. He has overseen the decimation of the middle class homeowners and stock owners who vote conservative. He has left retirees with few assets- houses worthless, retirement accounts decimated, bank savings eroded by massive inflation. He has made 50 states into welfare queens begging for bailouts from the federal government. This is the definition of “overwhelmed,” right out of the playbook of Cloward and Piven.

Obama has left in his wake a U.S. economy in ruins. He has turned the American Dream into a nightmare. He has convinced many Americans that government feels their pain, even though it is government that caused it. He has enslaved us all under an avalanche of debt so massive it’s unimaginable, and of course unsustainable. Now he has ruined the credit rating of the greatest nation on earth. Obama has turned hope into a 4 letter word.

Congratulations Mr. Obama. Mission Accomplished.