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Big government has to go
Feb. 11, 2012
By Ramsey Fowler
Each week as I sit to write my article I contemplate where to begin. I am frustrated with the state of affairs in America and I’m concerned that our country’s being swallowed by big government. Unfortunately, each week brings more news of disappointment and loss of liberties.
Our First Amendment clearly states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ... ” As intelligent Americans, we would assume this constitutional amendment would be upheld by all Americans. Nope, President Obama has passed an unconstitutional mandated healthcare bill, which forces all employers to provide services that may conflict with their personal and moral beliefs. Under the current guidelines, even religious employers with sincere objection to contraception and abortion are mandated to provide these services. These policies would force a Catholic doctor working in a Christian hospital to write a prescription for contraception even if this goes against their belief. Did Obama forget about the wall that separates the church from the state? This shocking abuse of power has upset and united Protestants, Mormons, and Jews to join the efforts of the Catholic church to fight for the religious freedom that is outlined in our Constitution. This has also united mainstream America. Whether you support pro life or pro choice is your personal business and I respect that. No one and certainly no government should ever intervene with personal liberties.
Obama received 54 percent of the Catholic vote in 2008. If you choose to give your sacred vote to the party that openly encourages big government, then you must understand that relinquishing freedom and increased government control is part of the deal.
Another outrageous event came when the reputable Susan G. Komen foundation came under attack. Komen announced they were cutting donations to the organization Planned Parenthood who is currently under government investigation. Komen is a private foundation. Their policy stated that any organization under investigation would cease to receive funds until such investigation was completed. This infuriated the liberal base and prompted 22 Democratic Senators to compose a forcefully written letter urging Komen to reverse their decision. The pressure from Nancy Pelosi, the liberal media and Washington ultimately forced Komen to retreat their stance. The Komen foundation is one of the strongest, well-run charities in the world and even they succumbed to liberal pressure in less than a week! This bullying is atrocious. There should be repercussions and an outcry from the public as well. When people enter a Komen breast cancer event or purchase a pink ribbon item most believe their donation is going toward breast cancer awareness that will ultimately save lives. We now know that Komen donated up to $700,000 a year to Planned Parenthood, who performed 300,000 abortions in 2011. Unfortunately, the latest reporting shows only a few Planned Parenthood locations actually performing breast screenings.
The citizens of this country have also been warned this week of a dangerous substance ... sugar! The recommendation is that sugar should be controlled like tobacco and alcohol to protect public health. Apparently sugar is “toxic” beyond its calories. There is speculation on just how the government should handle this controversial substance. Maybe they’ll tax the living daylights out of Hershey kisses to help cover their out of control spending.
This vicious cycle apparently never ends. There are also too many obese children in the United States and the government blames video games (not the parents who buy the doughnuts). The government is considering raising the prices on games and gaming systems to control this epidemic. That’s a brilliant idea! If these overweight kids can’t afford video games, then they’ll surely be motivated to go outside and run around the block a few times.
I embrace the fact that not all Americans have the same core beliefs. That’s why we’re the melting pot and the greatest country in the world. If Democrats and Republicans are truly educated, honest and open they should be able to see both sides of any issue. I pray that every single American is realizing the dangers of an oversized, controlling government.
God Bless America!
Ramsey Fowler is a senior at Lee’s Summit West High School. Write to him at government@lstribune.net.
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