Finally, a political one... this was long coming

So far, this blog has never touched the subject of politics. I think it's time. It's time because for 20 year that I've lived in the United States, never did we face an election so important as the one we are facing this November. This election will determine the direction this country is going to take, probably for years to come.

When my family came to this country 20 years ago, we had no money. We received government assistance that was just enough to cover our rent and food expenses. We wanted a better life, so we strived to find a job, even if it meant loosing government assistance. 2 months after our arrival, all three of us - both of my parents and I - were working. My father, a history teacher in Ukraine, was doing a hard physical job, sometimes 12 hours a day. My mother was babysitting while preparing for her pharmacy technician exam. I was working weekends as a companion for a 94-year-old lady, and on weekdays I was attending a vocational school. It was not an easy life for our family. But it was the only way to succeed in America - not to rely on the government to sustain you, but to strive and make it on your own. We knew that was the way America worked even before we came here, and we never complained. We knew some people in Russian community who made it big and became quite wealthy, but we were never envious.

16 years later, enter Barak Obama. He is a big "social justice" guy. He is the one to "spread the wealth around." He does not believe that you can make it on your own. He thinks that the government should take care of you. He believes that "rich people" should pay more taxes so that he can expand government programs. By doing that, he will make people dependent on government assistance, and kill an insentive to get an education, to find a job, to become successful. This country, instead of being the country of self-reliance, as it has always been, will become the country of entitlements. USA will take the direction that many European countries have taken. They heavily tax people who achieve success, so other people do not strive for success. They give out government assistance, so more and more people demand it. People are not willing to work hard if they can get stuff for free, the economies collapse, and when the government tries to reverse course, riots break out. This is where we are heading, and president Obama is in the lead.

This election is not about Romney and Obama personally. Maybe Romney is not the best candidate. So far, he was not able to "connect" with people, he has not come up with a specific plan to get the country out of recession, and he generally does not appear "a cool guy" in a way president Obama does. But election is never a popularity contest. This election in particular is about what direction this country is going to take. Romney will restore the self-reliance approach. Obama will continue to "spread the wealth around."

President Obama does not appear to think much of the american people. He considers us stupid by opining that Supreme Court cannot overturn a law passed by Congress. Apparently, very few of us heard of the process of judicial review. He considers us envious by constantly portraying Romney as "the rich guy" as if being rich is somehow shameful or even criminal. Apparently, american people envy the rich and consider them corrupt. Finally, Obama does not think you are smart enough, educated enough, hard-working enough to build your own wealth. He wants the government to take care of you. Do you?

In recent time several of my friends opened their own businesses. I am proud of them and wish them success. They will build it on their own, all the while paying taxes that pay for the roads and bridges that they use (somebody tell president Obama that business owners do pay for that). To all my friends who own a business, as well as to those who go to work every day to provide for their families, as well as to make this country even greater - my hat is off to you. You do not need a part of somebody else's wealth. You can build your own.