Hillary Clinton is wrong for America

Even though the Presidential election is a year away, most political observers give the clear edge for the Democratic nomination to Sen. Hillary Clinton. Sen. Clinton leads in all national polls and her fundraising totals are astounding. Political pundits on both sides of the aisle point to the high "negatives" that the Senator must face with almost 45 percent of voters vowing never to cast a ballot in her favor. But still she grows in power and popularity as the election nears.

I don't pretend to fully know each and every position that Sen. Clinton holds. I do believe - as most others do - that between now and November of next year her positions will drift toward the middle of the political spectrum for campaign purposes. That will surely drive down those negatives and may well result in her election in November of next year.

Since our nation is fully involved in a highly unpopular war, we all realize that much of the debate in the coming months will continue to focus on our ongoing involvement in Iraq. It's highly reminiscent of the 1972 election when Vietnam was the issue. That war, too, was highly unpopular when that election cycle rolled around.

But it's not the war that bothers me about Sen. Clinton. It's the massive damage she will undoubtedly do to our national culture, our businesses and the exploding size of government she promises. If elected, Sen. Clinton will point this nation in a direction of total collapse. She will take from those who produce to give to those who don't. Her power will derive from those who depend on the government to address their daily needs and to maintain that power, she will raise the funds for that dependent population from those who produce. In short, Sen. Clinton is and will always remain a socialist. If that's the system of government you want, then by all means cast your vote for her come November 2008.

By most measurements, George Bush has been a lackluster president. He has managed to surround himself with arrogant, partisan hacks who bring disgrace to the system of government. His legacy will be less than kind with his eight years in office. And for those of us who backed his Presidency, we'll mourn the mistakes we enabled to occur.

But I fear we as a nation don't fully appreciate the potential damage that Sen. Clinton will bring to this country. And if she has her way, we'll spend generations trying to pay our way out of a fiscal mess of unparalleled proportions.

Sen. Clinton will enlarge the web of dependency in this country because that is the only way her system of government can work. She relies on those who cannot or will not provide for themselves. Her solution is to have the producers pay for the way of the non-producers. And the way you increase favor for such a socialist concept is to simply expand the definition of non-

producers. The more people who expect something from government, the more people you have who must support your policies.

But can you imagine for just a moment where this path will end? The sad answer is that most voters lack the depth to appreciate the consequences of their actions. So maybe we deserve what is likely to unfold.

Sen. Clinton this past week offered her $20 billion annual plan to provide $5,000 baby bonds to every child born in the United States. In theory these bonds would eventually be used to fund college education or a down payment on a first home. But in reality, the baby bonds are simply another ploy to entice the dependent population and allow them to receive something for nothing. That in itself is a pretty close definition for socialism. But that's just for starters.

Sen. Clinton also wants to raise the tax rate. Despite the fact that almost half of the American public pays no income tax whatsoever, Sen. Clinton knows this is a revenue stream and she wants her hands on those funds. She wants to give those funds to those who do not produce. And in turn, she wants those recipients to give her more votes. Do you sense the trend here?

My one voice cannot change this election and to pretend otherwise is sheer folly. But maybe you can read between the lines and sense the fear that I have. That fear should be contagious next year or otherwise, the lives of your children and grandchildren will be forever changed for the worst.