A letter to Norris

My small town has two papers, and whilst I cartoon for the Telegraph, I sometimes write letters to the editor to submit to the other one. The following is just such a beast:

Norris Rose’s letter decrying the Obama administration’s much needed housecleaning is representative of many letters recently posted. Kudos to Norris for making rational assertions, but I respectfully disagree with everything he said.  

Factually, Rose’s arguments are classic disinformation. The Heritage Foundation is a recognized partisan institution. Rose’s reliance on this source colors his entire letter. IE: The Administration has indeed cut 1.4 billion from missile defense, but the programs cut are expensive duds. R&D into rogue missile threats is being continued, and the cuts being made are on consultation and recommendation from Secretary Gates and the Joint Chiefs. Obama is keeping his promise to trim the fat from government, something I would have thought conservatives approved of. 

 Some more inconvenient facts for Rose:

   

• While fighting is sometimes unavoidable, history shows that talking to despots actually has averted disaster: witness the Cuban Missile Crisis.

• Fannie May and Freddie Mac’s bad loans did not cause the meltdown. Only around 1 of 4 defaulted loans originated with those companies. 

• The Cap and Trade plan will tax energy companies around $366 billion a year, not $644 trillion. Estimated cost per consumer by 2015 is $7.00 per month. For that, we begin mitigating global warming, encourage conservation, and produce new jobs in a green economy.

• Granting citizenship to illegal immigrants will generate $66 billion in taxes oven ten years, while costing us $54 billion in welfare, a net gain. 

• Obama has “assumed control” over some banks because they were insolvent. The FDIC “assumes control” over smaller bankrupt institutions in the same way, then sells them back to the private sector. 

• We are suffering an economic crisis due to systemic deregulation over 30 years of GOP philosophical dominance. Capitalism stays healthy only if kept on a reasonable leash.

I implore Rose to retire his ideological blinders and realize government is not a boogie man. Government is us, and it is only as good as we make it. Obama is not perfect, but his election gave us an opportunity to build a better future. That is what a clear majority voted for in 2008, and that is what we are starting to get. Why not help out? There is much to do.