SansPretense

I haven’t blogged in awhile, and I figured it’s time to dust some cobwebs off.  Besides, I feel like there’s something to be said that, although it has been stated before by myself and others in various ways and social media platforms, really requires more than a few hundred characters on facebook and a link. 

Here’s a question: What is our responsibility to future generations of Americans or even the world?  Imagine you were given a choice: live comfortably and leisurely knowing that your actions, lack of actions, or lifestyle condemns future generations to a life of hardship.  Would you choose that option or do you believe that your children or grandchildren deserve better?  (Afterall, isn’t that one of the arguments for protecting the environment?)

I believe we all have an obligation to future generations.

For the last few years (at least that’s how long I’ve been aware of the problem), many of us who have been paying attention to the budgetary numbers coming from Washington have been absolutely shocked.  (The numbers are at the end of the post.)  This isn’t a partisan issue and it’s not one that will only become a problem for some distant future generation.   It’s an existential issue that has already become a crisis.  The existential part is not an exaggeration!  Just ask Greece and other European nations who are in danger of losing their sovereignty.  The problem is with Entitlements and is now.  Medicare will run out of funds within the next 10-15 years or sooner.  At that point, services automatically gets cut (by law). 

The issue is very much linked to the economy (again, see the previously linked video).  The high unemployment numbers seem to be structural, not temporary.  Job growth has been halted since Obamacare passed, except, apparently, in red states who have initiated pro-jobs reforms (the numbers from TX are amazing), shrinking the size of government and limiting Union power.  Meanwhile, Administrative officials keep saying stupid things because, frankly, they have nothing more to offer. 

The current Republican field of candidates is very lacking on their ability and leadership when it comes to the debt, deficit, and Entitlement reform.  They want to avoid the scare-mongering of the Democrats and the media.  Maybe that’s good politics.  But is it responsible citizenship?

So that brings me to Paul Ryan.  The blogosphere has been abuzz all day on the possibility of Paul Ryan jumping into the race for president, just days after Rick Perry’s official announcement completely changed the Republican primary race.  Ed Morrisey at Hot Air, who seems to be excited about the Perry run, is not so enthusiastic over a Paul Ryan candidacy.  Others, seem to disagree.  Count me in with the latter group. 

The previous links have already made the case for Paul Ryan’s candidacy.  He has stated over and over that he doesn’t want to run, especially for the sake of his family.  So why would he reconsider this late in the game?  I like this analogy:

“With Paul, it’s more about obligation than opportunity,” says another Wisconsin Republican. “He is determined to have the 2012 election be about the big things. If that means he has to run, he’s open to it.”
…
One Ryan confidante used an analogy to make the point. Ryan sees running for president like taking a swan dive off a cliff. In the early stages of the race, when he started getting calls urging him to run, Ryan began walking away from the cliff at a brisk pace. Then, when Daniels announced that he was passing on a bid, Ryan stopped in place and turned around. In the weeks since, he’s slowly made his way back to the cliff and he’s now peering over the side trying to decide if he makes the leap.

The cliff is not just for the presidency.  Paul Ryan is determined to make that cliff about the future path of this country.  Are we going to go follow Europe down the path of decline as a direct result of an affordable, dehumanizing, cradle-to-grave Social nanny state?  Or do we turn the ship around and again follow the rockier, but more prosperous path of liberty? 

Here’s my question question to Paul Ryan (not like he will see it): if you don’t make the first leap, then who will and when? 

I think – or at least hope – that there are a lot of people behind Paul on that cliff.  If he makes the leap, a lot of us will follow.   The challenge will be to convincing the rest of the public to come, too.  And the public might actually be ready to have the right conversations.

Many people, like me, spend way too much time posting links on facebook and bitching about the problems.   I guess that’s got to change.  The crisis is here, and how we can expect our reluctant leaders to do what is right when we’re unwilling to provide the support that is needed.

The numbers:

The official national debt is $14.6 trillion, or over 98% of the US GDP, or $130,578 per taxpayer.  Well, that’s OK, right?  We just pay it off over many decades like a normal citizen would any debt.  According to some economists, deficit spending during a recession is good, right?  The problem isn’t that we have deficit spending over a few years, it’s that’s 98% debt to GDP number that keeps going up.  We’re borrowing $2 for every $5 we spend.  The effects are not good for the economy or the West, or the world.

The long term numbers are even more terrifying: the US has $115 trillion dollars in unfunded liabilities (some sources place the numbers higher).  That means we are passing on to future generations over a million dollars per taxpayer.  We are essentially borrowing money and placing the burden on US citizens that haven’t even been born yet.  The US currently has a total of $76 trillion in assets (not GDP, assets).  That’s a lot of wealth creation that cannot happen with a barely growing economy.