The biggest discouragement I have faced in this election cycle is that the media is focusing on the personalities of the candidates, rather than the ideas they support. Elections are supposed to be a battle of ideas in which each side makes an argument about what they believe, and how they are going to make the lives of Americans better.. Yet, in this year the only thing we are hearing is how terrible the other candidate would be, and that is a discouraging thing for many Americans. My first job out of college was working at the Heritage foundation in DC, and my favorite thing about that job was getting to work with the best conservative minds in the country to promote policies that truly make America the greatest country on earth. The hardest thing about that job was learning how easy it would be to fix our countries problems if we had the political leadership we needed. If we could have implemented conservative tax reform we could easily see an economy that is growing at 4% each year. But under the leadership of Obama we have seen our economy stifled by a regulatory state that makes it difficult for many companies to compete. The Dodd Frank act which supposedly was going to ensure that banks are never “to big to fail” has had the opposite effect. The big banks are more powerful than they were before the recession, and many smaller banks have closed down because the regulations in that act simply cost too much to comply with. Americans were also promised health care that was higher in quality and lower in cost and again we got the opposite result. Almost all of the major insurers have pulled out of Obamacare and premiums have gone through the roof throughout the United States.
My dad is an internal medicine physician and due to the fact that the regulations in Obamacare are onerous, many of his colleagues are retiring early or moving into private practice. In some states the only option for many families is to buy a plan that has 2,500-5,000 dollar deductible, which if a person is only making 30,000 a year is almost as bad as having no insurance at all. Obama also promised that we would be respected throughout the world, and yet there has never been a time of greater instability since the cold war ended. The Iran deal is falling apart and the other Middle Eastern countries are ramping up their nuclear programs in response to Iran’s dominance in the region. Obama promised peace but all he did was make it more likely that our soldiers will be in harm’s way in the future. The point of all this is not to point out the failures of Obama but to highlight the fact that big government cannot work better than the market. The solution to our problems is the same as it was when our nation was founded. We need a government by the people and for the people. Thomas Jefferson said “a government which governs less governs best” and his words are still true today. Every generation believes that the problems they face are unique and overwhelming, yet every generation has found ways to solve the biggest problems our country faces.
Our parents’ generation saw the end of the cold war and the spreading of democracy to countries all over the globe, and though the challenges we face are significant, I have no doubt that we can overcome them together. I do not believe that liberals have ill intentions. Most of my friends who are liberal believe what they do because they think their way is the best way and that it helps the most people. But the truth is that socialism has failed everywhere it has been tried and it cannot work because socialism describes a world as it should be but not the world as it is, which is why it will always fail. If we rely on conservative principles of personal responsibility and limited government we can have a free and prosperous society. And with September 11th coming up let us not forget the men and woman who gave their lives so that we could live in peace. I know many of you are discouraged about the leadership in our party, but the truth is we have so many great young leaders in the GOP who are going to fix our nation’s problems and restore the idea of the American dream. Something I try to remember is that liberty is a blessing from God and it is our creator who blessed us with the rights we enjoy. Let us always give thanks to God for his mercy on our nation and remember to pray for our men and woman overseas. One of my family members is serving overseas right now and I am so proud of him for all he has given to make this country great. Don’t lose heart my friends when you see politicians and the media bicker over petty things. Remember that we are a great nation and our best days are ahead of us. God bless. Christopher Calvin Reid.
Mr. Reid is general practice attorney in Birmingham, Alabama. He has worked for republican leadership in the house in D.C. and was a health policy advisor to the governor of Alabama. You can contact him by email at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com or by phone at 205-913-7406. For a full description of the Reid Law Firm's practice areas, please visit reidlawalabama.com. Our firm practices the following areas of law: wills, trust, and estates, divorce and family, DUI and drug offenses (only first and second time offenses), and car accident cases. We also handle business law, including formation of business entities and drafting contracts. Additionally, I co-host Yellowhammer News every Monday during lunch from 11-12 on 101.1 fm Birmingham (but our show is broadcast throughout most of the state).