U.S. Hurting in Wallet -- and Spirit - WSJ.com

U.S. Hurting in Wallet -- and Spirit - WSJ.com
One aspect impacting the traditional American spirit of optimism is that the individual, their rights, choices and opportunities are being usurped by ever bigger government.

This is felt not just in a paycheck (or lack thereof) but, if one has to rely on others, versus oneself, then one has to question who is going to decide that future.

And, with a government at both national and state levels (many states) determining that 'equality of outcome' is more important than 'equality of opportunity' - what can one expect?

A lot of people feel something is wrong - many are looking at effects and misdetermining causes - but, that is where leaders should come in. But, the guidance of more consumption, higher taxes and demands on producers to go to non-producers, is exactly the opposite of what America's economic competitors (e.g. China, et al) are doing.

It doesn't take a lot of education to see the disparity in the economic growth statistics; but, when unions and the government are saying all of 'you' should have more and it won't cost 'you' more (unless you are rich or own a business), the discontinuity may not be clear, the results may be discernible (but not something one can directly remedy on their own), so what happens?

The 1970's were like this for those of us growing up in the optimism and expectancy of the 1960's. This feels much much worse (and likely is). So far, as with Carter as president, the leadership seems to be going in exactly the wrong direction.