Since the Obama administration and a Democratic majority have taken over US politics in 2009, we have seen plenty of the "change" that enticed a large number of American voters last November. However as I pointed out before the elections, it has worried me that people have given so much control to an administration that is taking immediate and drastic steps to bring us under a socialistic style of government. Not only is government taking over the auto industry, banks, and now even the entire healthcare system, but they are also overturning initiatives that were set up during the Bush administration to promote productivity and self-sustaining families.
I have resisted making any argument regarding the most recent health care legislation before Congress (which has frightening implications by the way). However, there was an article on Boston.com this morning that reinforced my negative opinions of this new administration with the title of "President shifts focus to renting, not owning".
Even many conservatives can agree that there were many reasons to look forward to a replacement for George W., but I think that the focus his administration had towards promoting home ownership was a very positive one. Many might argue that this was the cause of economic instability (specifically for the housing/lending markets), but I think that this can be mostly blamed on irresponsible lending organizations that were giving money to people who could clearly not afford it.
So instead of continuing to promote home-ownership by providing assistance and incentives, the Obama administration is now switching governmental support to pay for more rental properties. With this new direction, landlords continue to pocket even more money, and a larger percentage of mid/low income families are depositing their paychecks into their landlords accounts. How can you rebuild an economy on this concept of increased dependence on government? This is just one of many examples of how our government is continuing to reward those who are dependent on a hand-outs instead of rewarding the producers and contributors.
Is the Obama administration just catching a fish for families instead of teaching them how to fish?
Now before I am attacked, I will agree that 1) not everyone can or should be homeowners and 2) there is a real need for urban housing developments for low income families that would otherwise be homeless. I myself am a renter for now, but I look forward to someday fulfilling the American dream of home ownership. I could not disagree more with Barney Franks statement in this article: "I’ve always said the American dream should be a home - not home-ownership."
When our government was established over 200 years ago, there were protections for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. People immigrated from all over the world for their opportunity to become self-sufficient land-owning producers. For some reason in the 21st century, our government seems to believe that they are responsible for the provision of happiness. When you move support to increased rental housing, you are not protecting the pursuit of home-ownership. This has just contributed to an ongoing pattern of government provision rather than government protection. If anyone is in trouble, Uncle Sam is rushing in to bail them out because they believe everyone should be equal. Oh wait that sounds like... socialism!
People need to be free to succeed, but they also need to be free to fail. That's exactly what "land of the free" means.
Amen...nuff said.
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